Botanical name: Tristaniopsis laurina
Common names: Water Gum, Kanooka
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: Australia
An attractive and compact shade tree in cultivation, Tristaniopsis laurina has a smooth bark when young, becoming scaly as the tree matures. Reddish-gray bark peels off to reveal smooth, white bark underneath and deep green leaves are leathery, lance-shaped, and aromatic.
The leaves are 5-12 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, glossy dark green above with a paler under-side, and are alternately placed along the stems. The flowers are cream to orange-yellow in color, being produced in short clusters in January and early February. Reddish-gray bark peels off to reveal smooth, white bark underneath and deep green leaves are leathery, lance-shaped, and aromatic.
The leaves become red in cool weather with fragrant, yellow flowers blooming in the spring and summer.
