Melaleuca cordata

Melaleuca cordata is an erect, bushy shrub which grows to a height of between 0.3 and 3 m (1 and 10 ft) with dark grey, fibrous bark. Its leaves are egg-shaped to heart-shaped, between 7.5 and 30 mm (0.3 and 1 in) long and wide with a very short, or no stalk. They are glabrous when mature, spirally arranged around the stem with 5 to 9 veins and have a pointed end.[2][3]

The flowers are deep pink to purplish-red, forming roughly spherical heads of flowers, thickly clustered on or near the ends of the stems. The flowers appear for extended periods from late spring to mid-summer. The fruit which follow flowering are woody capsules about 4 mm (0.2 in) in diameter, arranged in roughly spherical clusters.[2][3]

Habit near Perenjori

Young leaves

Melaleuca cordata was first formally described in 1852 by the Russian botanist, Nikolai Turczaninow.[4] The Latin specific epithet (cordata) means "cordate" or "heart-shaped",[2][5][6][7] referring to the shape of the leaves.[2]

This melaleuca is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia from the Geraldton-Mullewa districts south to the Lake Grace-Lake King area and east to Coolgardie.[3] It occurs in the Coolgardie, Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Mallee and Warren biogeographic regions.[8] It grows in a range of habitats including sandy, often gravelly soils on sandplains.[9]

Melaleuca cordata is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[8]

Its unusual foliage and long flowering period may make M. cordata an attractive and useful garden plant. It grows in a wide range of soils in temperate areas with low winter rainfall.[3]