Melaleuca uncinata
broombush
Overview
Melaleuca uncinata is an erect evergreen shrub reaching 6.6-13 feet (2-4 m) tall and 5-10 feet (1.5-3 m) wide, with many slender upright branches rising from the base. Leaves are alternate and terete (round in cross-section), 0.4-1.6 inches (1-4 cm) long, each ending in a small hooked point. Cream to yellow flowers are packed into globular to short cylindrical clusters 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) across at the branch tips, appearing mainly in spring. Woody cup-shaped capsules 0.1-0.2 inch (3-5 mm) wide cluster tightly along the older stems and persist for several years. The bark is grey and peels in thin papery layers. The dense broom-like mass of upright stems is the source of the common name and the basis for its harvest as brushwood fencing. It grows in soils from sand to clay-loam and tolerates seasonal waterlogging and moderate salinity. In cultivation, plants become open and bare at the base with age unless pruned.
Native Range
Native to southern Australia across Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. It grows in mallee shrubland, heath, and open woodland on sandy and lateritic soils, often in seasonally moist depressions, from near sea level to 1,640 feet (500 m).Suggested Uses
Planted in windbreaks, screens, and revegetation work at 5-8 feet (1.5-2.4 m) spacing. Stems are harvested commercially for brushwood fencing. The shrub tolerates exposed coastal and inland sites but becomes sparse in deep shade.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6'7" - 13'1"
Width/Spread4'11" - 9'10"
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Colors
Bloom Information
Flowers mainly in spring, September through November in the native range, with scattered flowering at other times after rain. Individual clusters last about 2-3 weeks. Flowering is reduced in shade and in the first 2-3 years after planting.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
cream to yellowFoliage Description
green to grey-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Water through the first one to two growing seasons to establish; mature plants tolerate 3-4 weeks without rain in temperate climates. It grows in full sun to light shade in sandy, loamy, or clay soils with a pH of 5.5-7.5. It tolerates seasonal waterlogging and light frost to about 25°F (-4°C). Few pests or diseases occur on well-drained sites, though root rot can develop where soils stay saturated year-round. Plants respond to cutting by producing dense regrowth from the base.Pruning
Cut back stems after flowering to maintain density, removing up to one-third of their length. Hard pruning into older wood produces new shoots from the base on most plants. Unpruned plants become open and bare at the base over 5-8 years.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
late springsummer