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Backhousia myrtifolia
Also called Carrol Ironwood, Grey Myrtle, Ironwood, Cinnamon Myrtle, Myrtles
Carrol (Backhousia myrtifolia) is a small evergreen rainforest tree from eastern Australia, grown for its cinnamon-scented leaves and oils. It does best in full sun with fertile soil and reasonable water, and tolerates drought once established.
Backhousia myrtifolia (commonly referred to as carrol, neverbreak, iron wood, grey myrtle or cinnamon myrtle) is a small rainforest tree species which grows in subtropical rainforests of Eastern Australia. First discovered and subsequently used by the indigenous communities of Australia, this plant produces oils that have a cinnamon-like aroma, and display both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Therefore, it has potential applications as not only a spice in food preparation, but also in the medical field as a treatment option for microbial infection. Backhousia myrtifolia can grow up to 30 metres. The leaves are ovate or elliptic, 4–7 cm long, and the flowers star-shaped in appearance.
B. myrtifolia is fast-growing (as measured by plant biomass, leaf area and leaf biomass per plant) under ideal conditions, which includes fertile soil, high irradiance levels and sufficient water supplies. Maximum growth is achieved in the presence of oxygen-rich air (minimal carbon or nitric oxide pollutants) as well as nutrient-abundant soil, rich in micro-organism and mineral diversity. In addition to this B. myrtifolia tolerates drought, periods of inundation and repeated root disturbance, meaning that they are capable of flourishing in areas that experience constant temperature, and weather fluctuations. Therefore, this plant is suitable for cultivation in both domestic and commercial Australian environments (gardens or on footpaths) in both tropical (higher rainfall) and coastal climates. In these urban settings Backhousia myrtifolia has an average life expectancy of 60 years, requiring very little maintenance, presuming it receives consistently high sunlight levels.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Backhousia myrtifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
