Melaleuca irbyana
Posted: January 14th, 2022, 7:28 am
Progression thread: Melaleuca irbyana
By memory
I purchased this from Cool Country Natives in Canberra when I went down to do a presentation on the Symposium for Native Plants at the ANBG in Canberra 2020. Although I might be wrong about where I purchased it from, as I had bought about 20 different varieties that day. (They have a massive variety of beautiful natives to grow and I highly recommend them) Although it may have been purchased from a native nursery up here on the coast if it wasn't Canberra, because I didn't keep a record of the purchases that day unfortunately.
I didn't take an initial photo, but it was just a very small seedling at the time.
It is very hardy and had no problems with a heavy root removal and cutting back.
It happily tolerates a heavier mix and will grow fast if given good levels of sun, although I still add washed river sand for drainage, just not as much so as to keep it with a higher level of water than other Mels I am growing.
My only tip is to not allow it to dry out. I had initially given it a slightly heavier mix - being that its natural habitat is a bit on the wetter side - and this proved beneficial as I once left it too long between waterings...but it thankfully bounced back.
You can watch an interesting video on it, as I hadn't realized it was critically endangered. I merely purchased it because I liked the look of it and the tiny foliage and weeping branches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu0aWwHW2aQ
10 Jan 2022
By memory
I purchased this from Cool Country Natives in Canberra when I went down to do a presentation on the Symposium for Native Plants at the ANBG in Canberra 2020. Although I might be wrong about where I purchased it from, as I had bought about 20 different varieties that day. (They have a massive variety of beautiful natives to grow and I highly recommend them) Although it may have been purchased from a native nursery up here on the coast if it wasn't Canberra, because I didn't keep a record of the purchases that day unfortunately.I didn't take an initial photo, but it was just a very small seedling at the time.
It is very hardy and had no problems with a heavy root removal and cutting back.
It happily tolerates a heavier mix and will grow fast if given good levels of sun, although I still add washed river sand for drainage, just not as much so as to keep it with a higher level of water than other Mels I am growing.
My only tip is to not allow it to dry out. I had initially given it a slightly heavier mix - being that its natural habitat is a bit on the wetter side - and this proved beneficial as I once left it too long between waterings...but it thankfully bounced back.
You can watch an interesting video on it, as I hadn't realized it was critically endangered. I merely purchased it because I liked the look of it and the tiny foliage and weeping branches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu0aWwHW2aQ
10 Jan 2022