Myrtaceae - Botanical Family | Top Tropicals Plant Encyclopedia

Calothamnus quadrifidus

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This is an extremely beautiful, hardy and versatile plant. It flowers for long periods of the year through Summer and Spring showing excellent bright red flowers along the stems. The attractive foliage is fine, neat and pine like providing shelter for small birds and contrasting beautifully with the flowers. This is a tough plant tolerating frost down to about -7 C, wind, coastal exposure and most soil types including wet areas. Growing to 2.5 metres high and wide, it's also suited to sloping sites and is probably the best known and hardiest of the Calothamnus genus.

Calothamnus sp.

The attractive foliage is fine, neat and pine like providing shelter for small birds and contrasting beautifully with the flowers.

Calyptranthes pallens

The shrub is a large one, reaching up to 5-10 feet in height and grows best in semi-shade. It can be grown in USDA zones 9-11 and as a native to tropical America, it has adapted to warm climates.

Calyptranthes pallens, or Spicewood, is a popular plant choice for those lucky enough to live in tropical America. Not only is this large shrub (5-10 feet in height) a beautiful addition to any landscape, but its white and off-white flowers have the most wonderful fragrance. The Spicewood blooms in the beginning of the rainy season, from late spring through the early summer, when the tiny blossoms fill the air with a sweet, spicy aroma. This aromatic bush will please the senses and attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.

Though adapted to warm climates, Spicewood can survive in colder regions as well, provided it is given the right care. While planting it outdoors in the ground is ideal, those that live in colder climates will have to keep it in a pot and bring it indoors during colder times of year. Spicewood prefers semi-shady areas and regular watering, but it is resilient and can survive with moderate watering. It does benefit from fertilizing, but care should be taken not to over-fertilize.

Spicewood is a fantastic plant for those looking for a beautiful and fragrant bush for their garden. With the right care and maintenance, this large shrub will bring texture, color and delightful fragrance to your garden for many years to come.

Calyptrogenia biflora

Calytrix exstipulata

Calytrix exstipulata has pine-like leaves and star-shaped flowers about 20 mm in diameter. The leaves contains oil with therapeutic properties.

Calytrix tetragona, Calytrix sullivanii

Calytrix tetragona is an easily grown and very hardy shrub for the small garden, usually reaching 1 m or more. The tiny leaves are slightly fleshy with a spicy perfume when bruised. The color of a healthy shrub is bright green with yellow-green young tips. Flowers are white or pink, deeper in the pointed buds, clustered along the arching branches, sometimes massed and nearly hiding the leaves.

Propagation is by small cuttings of half-ripe tip growth.

A garden position in sun or light shade is suitable, in well-drained lime free soil.

Chamelaucium leptocaulum

Chamelaucium uncinatum, Darwinia uncinata

Geraldton wax (Chamelaucium uncinatum) is an attractive large shrub, growing 5-10 feet tall, with fragrant narrow leaves, up to 2 inches long. It produces circular flowers that typically range between 1 and 2 inches in diameter, and can appear in shades of pink, white, off-white, blue, lavender, purple and yellow to orange. The flowers last for well over a week when cut.

Native to Western Australia and grown in USDA Zones 9-11, Geraldton wax is known for its ability to survive in dry climates but also does reasonably well in more humid regions. It can tolerate periods of extended drought and requires full sun and moderate amounts of water, with occasional deep watering during the summer months.

In order to ensure successful growth, it is important to plant Geraldton wax in a very well-drained, sandy soil and in a sunny or semi-shaded area. Pruning the shrub back by one-third each year can help it to flourish.

In cold regions, Geraldton wax can also be grown successfully in a pot. The pot should be filled with a well-draining soil, such as perlite, and the container should be positioned in an area that receives sunlight for most of the day. It is important to keep the soil lightly moist and water the potted shrub when the top inch of soil feels dry. During the cold winter months, it should be protected from frosts and strong winds.

Corymbia setosa, Eucalyptus setosa

Corymbia terminalis, Eucalyptus terminalis