Browse plants / Myrtaceae
Showy honey-myrtle Melaleuca nesophila
When it flowers
- January, flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
Hardy coastal shrub with mauve pompom flowers tipped in gold.
A tough shrub from the south coast of Western Australia that handles salt wind, drought and alkaline soil. Round mauve-pink flower heads with yellow tips cover it from late spring into summer.
In the garden
- Leaves
- Oval, grey-green leaves; papery bark.
- Flowers
- Round mauve-pink pompoms with gold-tipped stamens, about 2.5 cm across.
- Attracts
- Birds, pollinating insects and butterflies
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy, loam and clay
- Soil pH
- Neutral and alkaline
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
- Coast
- Exposed to salt spray
- Climate
- Dry summers (Mediterranean) and temperate
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed and cuttings
Planting
Full sun, from frontline coastal gardens inland. Space 2 m apart for a screen.
Pruning
Clip after flowering; it takes regular trimming as a hedge.
Care
Water through long dry spells. Usually trouble-free; prune out tips webbed by sawfly larvae.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Order
- Myrtales
- Native to
- Western Australia
- Natural range
- South coast of Western Australia, around Esperance.
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
Help improve this page
Spotted a mistake, or know something we don't? Everything is checked by a moderator before it goes live.
Further reading
- Melaleuca nesophila on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.