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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Myrtaceae (Myrtles) |
| Origin: Australia (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Crimson Red |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Fall |
| Height: 8-12 feet |
| Width: 6-8 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Melaleuca elliptica (Granite Honey-myrtle) - A medium sized shrub with a moderate growth rate to 10 feet tall and as wide that has thinly furrowed papery brown bark that peels in thin strips and attractive structural upright and arching branches covered with 1/2 inch long, glaucous, leathery, ovate-shaped grey leaves that are often a bronze color in new growth. In early spring and often continuing well into fall appear the 3 inch long clusters of red bottlebrush-like flowers with the peak display in late spring into early summer. Plant in full sun in most any soil type so long as it drains decently and water only occasionally to very little. It is drought and frost hardy to about 20 degrees F. once established and can hold up to salt laden winds along the coast, making it a good first exposure screen to protect other plants in beachside plantings. A nice plant even when left natural and dense but its sculptural form and attractive bark lends itself to selective pruning to open up and expose the branches and also serves to put the flowers, which are held on older wood, on better display. These flowers are also attractive to birds. Granite Honey-myrtle occurs naturally on granite outcrops in the southern Western Australia in the Coolgardie, Eyre and Roe Districts, including on off shore islands. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'melas' meaning "black" and 'leukos" meaning "white" because the first Melaleuca to be described had lighter colored branches against a darker, possibly burnt trunk and the specific epithet is in reference to the leaves having an elliptic shape. This plant was first introduced into the US by the USDA's Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI#79137) in 1927 and a specimen has been growing in Orpet Park in Santa Barbara since 1930. We first started growing this plant in 1983 and feel it is high time for this tough and attractive drought tolerant plant to be used more often!
This information about Melaleuca elliptica displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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