On the Southern Peninsula the Moonah trees (Melaleuca lanceolata) are one of the most common canopy tree growing in the area. 

Melaleuca lanceolata occurs in Queensland, NSW, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. Growing inland in mallee or open woodland near creeks and rivers as well as coastal areas growing on dunes and cliffs.

Moonah’s are a small tree which grow up to 10m tall. Their branches twist from the wind as they grow. They have tiny leaves and long shaped cream flowers that flower in clusters in Summer. After flowering they produce small woody fruit growing in groups along the branch. Moonah flowers have a strong sweet honey scented aroma that attract bees and other insects. When in full flower there’s an abundance of bees collecting as much pollen as they can while the opportunity is there.

Ringtail Possums commonly choose the Moonah branches to build their homes. They construct their dreys in the higher branches of the tree keeping dry and shaded from the dence clusters of leaves and small branches.

Moonah’s are a hardy tree. In some undisturbed areas on the Mornington Peninsula you can find some very old specimans, some being hundreds of years old. There is one known Moonah on the peninsula botanists have found to be be over 600 years old. It's hard to determine their age by looking at the tree as they are not typically large and tall like most old trees. It's more about the amount of branches they have as they age they fall outward towards the ground and new branches grow up from the middle of the tree. The older trees tend to have branches growing bending and curving along the ground.

Southern Peninsula bush gardens are rarely without Moonah’s. They are a fantastic shade tree. And look great growing in groups cooling the garden down through the Summer months. Some of the local native sedges and grasses grow well underneath them. They need to be planted in full sun to become a mature tree. They can be planted in gardens with close proximity to the coast as they are salt resistant. 

A wonder tree, super hardy, loves growing in the sand dunes and rocky soils. Salt air no probs! You wouldn’t not plant one or 10 in your southern peninsula garden.