Melaleuka, also called a tea tree, is a small tree or sprawling bush with a pleasant aroma. Elegant greenery and bright inflorescences make the plant very attractive for gardeners. Melaleuka is widespread on the expanses of the Australian continent and Great Britain, and in temperate climates it is successfully grown as a large indoor and garden plant.
Plant description
Melaleuka belongs to a large plant genus in the Myrtle family. Small bushes or tall trees have a pleasant, tart aroma. The maximum height of the trees reaches 25 m. The rhizome of the plant has a branched character. The trunk and branches are covered with a thin light brown or gray bark. It is easily damaged and peeling, forming a semblance of a paper wrapper.
Regular petiole leaves have a narrow lanceolate shape and a bright green color. The leaf length can reach 12 cm, and the width does not exceed 5 mm. From a distance, these narrow, whole-leaf leaves resemble needles. Along the edge of the leaf plate are small glands that secrete essential oil. Melaleuka oil has a pronounced bactericidal and stimulating property. It is widely used in medicine and cosmetology.
Small flowers gather in a large spherical or oval inflorescence. Yellow, cream or pink buds with narrow, long petals from a distance resemble a brush or brush. Inflorescences are formed on young shoots and can alternate with foliage. Where the flowers end, the branch may still go on.
Each bud consists of five sepals and tufts of stamens. Sepals crumble almost immediately, and long stamens attract insects, small birds, and even bats. Melaleuka is a good honey plant.
After the flowers fade, strong capsules with many small seeds remain on the branches. They remain tightly closed and do not fall even after full maturity. Seeds remain viable for a very long time, but often fall into the ground only after the death of the mother plant.
Popular views
Today, there are 240 species of melaleuka, the following representatives are most widely spread in culture:
Melaleuka is a white-wood or kayuputovy tree. The plant has the shape of a tall (up to 25 m) tree with a spreading crown. Very thin bark is painted in light gray. Narrow long leaves densely cover young branches and are interspersed with white cylindrical inflorescences.
Melaleuka forms a beautiful tree up to 8 m high. It is in this variety that the most essential oils are found, so it is grown for industrial purposes. A thin, flaky bark covers the trunk. On young branches, bright green leaves and snow-white flowers are collected.
Five-nervous melaleuka has a more rounded foliage with five embossed veins. The height of an adult tree is 9-19 m. At the ends of the branches, cylindrical brushes of white or beige shade. Leaves are used to decorate streets, paint water bodies and drain marshes.
Melaleuka diosmifolia Suitable for growing at home. The plant forms a low bush with fine needle foliage. In the spring, cylindrical creamy blossoms bloom.
Melaleuk Preuss represents a weakly branched shoot 1.5-10 m high, covered with larger leaves along the entire length. From May to September, the plant pleases with small flowers of cream color.
Flaxseed melaleuka forms a short tree. Its young branches are covered by another gray-green foliage similar to flax leaves. The length of each leaflet is 2-4.5 cm, and the width is 4 mm. In summer, white fluffy inflorescences up to 4 cm long bloom at the edges of the branches.
Melaleuk nesofila has the form of a spreading shrub with oval foliage. The leaf length is only 2 cm. In summer, the plant is covered with many spherical inflorescences of a saturated pink color.
Melaleuka Arminalis (bracelet) grows in the shape of a tree up to 9 m high. The plant has a wide spherical crown of dark green needle foliage. On the branches, oblong inflorescences of a red or pink shade up to 5 cm long are formed.
Melaleuka bracteata. The trunk of a tree up to 9 m high is covered with gray bark with vertical, cracked stripes. The leaves are painted dark green with a grayish tint. Cylindrical inflorescences are composed of cream flowers.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of melaleuka occurs quite easily by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds are collected after flowering, torn out of the boxes and stored in a paper bag. For the best effect, it is recommended to lay them on wet tissue for a day. For sowing, use wide boxes with light, fertile soil. Seeds are sown in holes to a depth of 2-4 cm. The container is covered with a film and left in a warm place. Shoots begin to appear after 2-4 weeks. Seedlings with 4 real leaves dive into small pots of earth for adult plants.
Rooting cuttings is also easy. It is enough to cut young shoots about 15 cm long in spring or early summer. The branches are treated with a root solution and planted in moist, fertile soil. Top stalk is covered with a jar.
Care Features
Melaleuka is grown as an indoor or garden plant. Some varieties can withstand frosts down to -7 ° C. The plant loves long daylight hours and diffused light. In the room it should be shaded from the midday sun. In the garden, a tree can be planted in an open area, as streams of fresh air will protect the foliage from burns.
From May to October, it is recommended to keep indoor copies on the balcony or in the garden. The optimum air temperature for the plant is + 22 ... + 24 ° C. For winter, it is advisable to transfer melaleuka to a cool place with a temperature of + 7 ... + 9 ° C. The soil around the garden melaleuk for the winter is mulched with fallen leaves.
Melaleuka lives near water bodies, therefore it needs abundant and frequent watering, however, excess fluid must flow out freely so that the roots do not rot. Only the topsoil can be dried. In winter, watering can be reduced if the air temperature is lowered.
From April to October, twice a month, melaleuka needs to be fed. Mineral fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation in accordance with the instructions. You can use compounds for flowering plants, myrtle or ornamental trees.
The plant needs to provide high humidity. Pots in winter are not recommended to be left near radiators. Frequent spraying of twigs and the use of trays with wet pebbles or expanded clay are welcome.
Melaleuka is growing rapidly, so it will have to be transplanted often. At the bottom of large and deep pots lay a drainage layer and light soil. You can use the finished substrate or prepare the mixture yourself from the following components:
- peat;
- river sand;
- turf land.
Melaleuka needs regular pruning, otherwise it will begin to grow and stretch very much. Leaves and flowers cover only young shoots. For pruning, shears with a sharp blade are used. The plant normally tolerates the procedure and allows you to give yourself the most intricate shape.
Possible difficulties
A common problem with melaleuka is root rot. At the first signs of decay, a plant should be dug up, the rotting roots trimmed and treated with an antifungal solution. Soil is completely replaced and watering is slightly reduced. To compensate for the reduction of the rhizome, it is recommended to remove part of the crown.
Sometimes a tea tree suffers from a spider mite invasion. This tiny insect can greatly damage the plant. When the smallest punctures and cobwebs appear on the foliage, an insecticide should be immediately treated (Actelik, Masai, Akarin).
