Melaleuca thymifolia (thyme honey-myrtle)

Japanese name: メラレウカ ティミフォリア
Scientific name: Melaleuca thymifolia

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub 1–1.5 m tall, found in its native range mainly along waterways and in wetlands.
The bark is gray and corky; the branches are slender and arch outward, spreading low and growing densely.
Leaves are simple and decussate (opposite, alternating at right angles), lanceolate to oblong, 0.5–1.5 cm long and 0.1–0.4 cm wide, and stand up along the branches.
The leaves have oil dots and give off a fragrance when damaged.
The leaf margins are entire.
Heads about 2.5 cm across bear clusters of 2–10 flowers.
The flowers are pink to lilac, with conspicuous feathery stamens.
There are 5 petals, but they fall soon after the flower opens.
The stamens are fused in groups of 30–60 to form 5 bundles, which curl inward.
The fruit is a capsule about 0.3–0.5 cm long.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed and by cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, moderately moist, fertile soil, and can overwinter outdoors in warm regions.
Frost damages the leaves.
For potted plants, from spring to autumn water thoroughly after the soil has dried, and keep it on the dry side in winter; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
From spring to autumn, apply slow-release fertilizer.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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