Lophostemon suaveolens
(Sol. Ex Gaertn.) Peter G.Wilson & J.T.Waterh.
Myrtaceae
Lophostemon depressus Schott
Melaleuca suaveolens Sol. ex Gaertn.
Tristania depressa Link
Tristania rhytiphloia F.Muell.
Tristania salicifolia Link ex Steud.
Tristania suaveolens (Sol. ex Gaertn.) Sm.
Common Name: Swamp Mahogany
Flowers and leaves
Photograph by: Tatters
General Information
Swamp mahogany is an evergreen shrub or tree that can reach up to 25 metres tall, but is usually smaller[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
]. The bole can be 30 - 45cm in diameter[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is mainly used locally.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland; north to New Guinea.
Habitat
Often found in lowland areas that are subject to periodic inundation, though it is also found on well-drained higher ground[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
]. Sclerophyll forest, widespread and common in coastal districts, often on swampy ground or alluvial flats[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 15.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the moist to wet subtropics and tropics where it is found at elevations up to 800 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 33°c, though it can tolerate 12 - 38°c[
]. The dormant plant can be killed by temperatures of -5°c or lower, whilst young growth is damaged at -1°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 650 - 1,800mm, tolerating 500 - 2,100mm and is tolerant of a dry season[
].
Grows best in a sunny position[
]. Succeeds in most soils, tolerating periodic inundation[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The dark red-brown to chocolate brown wood is close-grained, very strong, tough, elastic, durable[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
]. The sapwood is rapidly destroyed by borers, but the wood has considerable resistance to marine borers[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
]. It is used for general building purposes, cogs of wheels, tool handles, posts, buggy and coach frames etc[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
,
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The bark was traditionally used for making canoes[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
].
The wood makes a poor fuel, burning badly and producing lots of soot[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
].
Propagation
Seed - very small, it is best mixed with fine sand when sowing. It germinates easily.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
