​Prickly-leaved Paperbark. Melaleuca styphelioides
Melaleuca styphelioides is called several names. Some of these are the prickly-leaved paperbark, prickly paperbark and the prickly leaved tea tree. It is native to eastern Australia and has a spongy papery bark, prickly leaves and spikes of creamy-white flowers.
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It is a small to medium-sized tree and can grow up to 20 m.
The small creamy bottle-brush shaped flowers grow at the ends of branchlets and generally appear in October to December. Small round fruits, 3mm to 4mm across, follow the flowers, and may last on the branches for many years.
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Aboriginal people used the flowers to provide nectar for sweet drinks. The papery bark was used to wrap food, provide roofing for shelters, and to make bandages and shrouds.
Melaleuca styphelioides
Photo PlantNet
​Many seed and nectar-eating birds and butterflies are attracted to it.