Date of issue: 17 May 2011
Designer: Wayne Rankin, Australia Post Design Studio
Printer: McKellar Renown

Adhesive-backed stamp on white paper sheet.

Plant: Melaleuca alternifolia

Family: MYRTACEAE

Snow-in-summer

Large bushy shrub to 6m high by 4m across with papery bark and linear leaves to 2.5cm. White bottlebrush-like flowers to 5cm long occur in summer. Distribution: NSW, Qld.
Propagation: From seed or cuttings.
Cultivation: Very hardy in most soils and aspects except very dry conditions. Tolerates quite heavy shade. Good plant for poorly drained conditions. Used commercially to produce tea-tree oil. Flowers harbour small insects, which attract birds