Common Name: Broombush

General Information

Melaleuca uncinata is an erect, multi-stemmed, evergreen shrub growing from 1 - 4 metres tall[].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, southern Northern Territory, Western Australia.

Habitat

Grows in mallee, woodland and dry sclerophyll forest, usually on sandy soils[]. A widespread plant, often forming dense stands[]. Usually found on sandy gravelly soils of fairly arid inland areas[]

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of mainly warm temperate to subtropical areas, just moving into the tropical zone in Queensland. It is known to tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c when dormant, though only if the wood has been properly ripened by a hot growing season.
Requires a fertile, well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil in full sun[]. Prefers a soil that does not contain much nitrogen[].
Seed takes about 12 months to develop on the plant, the woody seed capsules persist for 3 or more years[].
Any pruning is best done after the plants have flowered with the intention of maintaining a compact habit[].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Pectoral. The leaves are chewed to relieve catarrh[, , ].

Other Uses

The branches are often cut and used in the construction of brush fences[].

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves, it has a peppermint flavour and is used medicinally[, ].

Wood - hard, durable, apt to split on drying[]. The dried branches are used in brush fences[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring or autumn onto a pot of permanently moist soil in a warm greenhouse. Emmerse in 5cm of water and do not water from overhead. Grow on until the seedlings are 0.5cm tall then remove from the water and pot up a week later. Seedlings are liable to damp off when grown this way, sowing the seed thinly, good ventilation and hygiene are essential for success[]. Grow the plants on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and then plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe lateral shoots with a heel, mid summer in a frame[].