Agonis flexuosa (Willd.) Sw.

Willow Myrtle

Small to medium-sized tree to 15 m tall with fibrous brown bark and whip-like branchlets, the new growth silky-hairy and pink. Leaves 6-12 cm long, 6-10 mm wide, 3-veined, narrowing to both ends, dark green on both surfaces, strongly aromatic when crushed. Leaf stalk 3 mm long. Flowers in axillary clusters of 8-14, each flower 1-1.5 cm wide; spring to early summer. Stamens in groups of 4 or 5 between the petals. Fruit capsules woody and clustered together.

A range of cultivars is available. Among those listed are 'Denmark Delight' which originated c. 1988. Syn. 'Denmark Dwarf', A 'Forest Magic' PVJ 11(4)37, A 'Jervis Bay Afterdark' PVJ 11(1)54, 'Peppermint Cream', 'Pied Piper' which originated c. 1984, 'Pink Peppy' (variant of 'Nana'), 'Royal Flush',A'Southern Wonder' PVJ 10(2)21 and 'Willow Gold'.

SW WA.

VIC: Balwyn (Maranoa Gds); Burnley (College,15 m in 1991, ptd c.1897); Malvern (Hedgeley Dene Gds); Mildura (Deakin Ave Memorial Gds); Melbourne (Treasury Gds); S Yarra (Domain, Government House Dr.).

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Myrtaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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Distribution map

Agonis flexuosa 'Nana'

Dwarf, compact habit to about 3 m tall. Originated c. 1988.

Agonis flexuosa 'Variegata'

Tree, slow growing, to about 3 m tall with attractive variegated foliage. Propagated by soft-tip cuttings or by approach grafting on to 1-year-old seedlings. Originated well before 1959.

kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Rosanae
order      Myrtales
family       Myrtaceae
genus        Agonis (DC.) Lindl.