Black Tea Tree

By Geoff Holloway

Black Tea Tree (Melaleuca bracteata) is a bushy-foliaged, small to medium tree, normally 5–8 m tall but occasionally taller. Its bark is very rough and dark grey in colour. The leaves are fine and crowded together around the stem, white flowers are loosely arranged in clusters and tiny oval fruit.

Locally this tree grows naturally on creek and riverbanks and has been used as a garden tree under the trade name of Revolution Green.

The wood is pinkish-brown, fine straight grain, heavy, hard and durable with a density of 1000 kg/m3, not commercially used but has been utilised for flooring, general construction and fencing. The wood turns easily and finishes nicely.