I write this during a very wet Sydney August and it is surprising how my plants in my normally dryish garden responds. Plants that have shown very little growth of flowers over the years, are putting on a great floral display. One such plant is Melaleuca fulgens.
This plant was a very popular plant in cultivation, especially in the 1980s – mainly due to the variety of flower-colours. It is usually readily available at native and major retail nurseries and M. fulgens subsp. fulgens is reported to grow the best.
Melaleuca fulgens is an erect shrub reaching a height of three metres, with a spread to 2 metres wide. In my garden it has never grown past a metre high and wide, perhaps too dry. It occurs mainly in the south-west region of Western Australia. It is typically found on granite-rocky outcrops to sandy and sandstone soils – often near creeks, in heathland.
It is best grown in a sunny spot with very reliable drainage and some protection from winter frost. After flowering, light pruning of old flowers will keep plants bushy and blooming bounteously.
