Revolution Gold melaleuca

Sun

Full sun for the brightest gold foliage; tolerates light shade but becomes greener and less dense.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, tolerates short dry spells, but grows more evenly with occasional deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Adaptable to sandy, loamy or clay soils, provided water does not remain stagnant around the roots. Tolerates occasional wet ground once established.

Height

13-20 ft (4-6 m)

Spread

7-13 ft (2-4 m)

Flowers

Small creamy-white, brush-like flowers, mainly in late spring and summer; less conspicuous than the foliage.

Foliage

Fine, narrow evergreen leaves on slender, arching shoots; new growth is bright golden yellow, becoming more yellow-green with age or shade.

Growth

Fast in warm conditions with adequate moisture.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   2 ft (0.6 m)

2. After 1 year

   6 ft (2 m)

3. After 2 years

   11 ft (3.3 m)

4. After 3 years

   15 ft (4.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   16 ft (5 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

Australia

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply through the first one or two growing seasons, allowing the surface soil to begin drying between waterings.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• If growth is weak, apply a modest amount of slow-release fertiliser suitable for Australian native plants in spring.
• Choose a sheltered position away from cold, drying winds and frost pockets.
• Check container-grown plants frequently in warm weather; their roots dry much faster than those in the ground.

Pruning. Lightly trim in late spring or after the main flowering flush to encourage dense growth; hedges may need another light trim in summer. Remove dead or damaged wood, and avoid severe pruning into bare old stems or late-season clipping before frost.

Spring

Plant after the risk of damaging frost has passed, and water thoroughly.

Spring

Refresh mulch and feed lightly only if growth needs support.

Late spring

Trim lightly after flowering to maintain a hedge or compact outline.

Summer

Deep-water young plants during dry spells and inspect shoots for scale insects.

Autumn

Stop clipping where winters are cool so new shoots can mature before frost.

Winter

Protect young plants during exceptional cold and move containers under cover where winters fall below its hardiness range.

• Use as a tall golden hedge or informal screen where there is room for its mature width.
• Plant as a specimen against dark evergreen foliage to emphasise its fine texture and colour.
• Combine with burgundy-leaved shrubs and blue-flowered perennials for strong foliage contrast.
• Use in a spacious Australian-native planting with bottlebrushes, lomandras and kangaroo paws.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Modern, Architectural minimal, Native hedgerow, Mediterranean and Wildlife garden.

Plant it with: Lomandra, Kangaroo paw, Bottlebrush, Westringia, Purple hop bush and Society garlic.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for visiting insects. Dense, mature growth can provide shelter for small birds.

• Frost damage: young shoots may blacken after cold nights; shelter young plants and wait until spring growth starts before cutting back damaged tips.
• Scale insects and sooty mould: inspect stems for scale, encourage natural predators and use a labelled horticultural oil if needed, avoiding hot weather.
• Root decline in stagnant soil: improve drainage or plant on a broad mound rather than leaving roots in persistently waterlogged ground.
• Sparse, greener growth in shade: provide more sun and lightly tip-prune to encourage branching.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but reliable toxicity information specific to this cultivar is limited. Do not treat the leaves, bark or seeds as edible, and do not give pets concentrated melaleuca oils.

Where it spreads. The species Melaleuca bracteata is listed as invasive in South Africa. Information specific to 'Revolution Gold' is limited; do not assume the cultivar is sterile, and check local restrictions before planting.

• Claret Tops melaleuca (Melaleuca linariifolia 'Claret Tops')

  Has reddish young shoots rather than consistently golden foliage, with generally broader, more conspicuous leaves.

• Golden deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara 'Aurea')

  Has true needles, many gathered in clusters on woody spurs, and develops a conifer's tiered branching rather than a fine-leaved shrub's canopy.

• Golden Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest')

  Has tightly packed scale leaves on conifer shoots, usually with a strong lemon scent when rubbed, rather than separate narrow melaleuca leaves.

Melaleuca comes from Greek words meaning 'black' and 'white', referring to contrasting bark, while bracteata means 'bearing bracts'.

Propagation. Propagate from semi-ripe cuttings taken during the growing season. Seed does not reliably preserve the golden foliage and other characteristics of the cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Melaleuca bracteata

Native range

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.