Baeckea frutescens

Baeckea frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is native to eastern Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia. It is a shrub with arching branches, linear leaves and white flowers with seven to thirteen stamens.

Description

Baeckea frutescens is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to and has arching branches. Its leaves are linear and often clustered on short side-branches, long and about wide on a petiole long. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils and are wide on a pedicel long. The five sepals are rounded-triangular, the five petals white, more or less round and long, and there are seven to thirteen stamens. Flowering mainly occurs in summer and the fruit is a capsule about in diameter.

Taxonomy

Baeckea frutescens was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. The specific epithet means "becoming bushy or shrubby".

Distribution and habitat

This baeckea grows in heath and open grassland from south-east China to eastern Australia. In Australia it grows in near-coastal areas as far south as Port Macquarie.

Use in horticulture

This species' tiny leaves and branches make it a popular subject of bonsai.