Genus: Myoporum
Common Name: Boobialla
Family: Myoporaceae
Appearance: Mainly shrubs with leaves dotted with glands.
Flowers: Generally small, white flowers.
Features: Some are useful for hedges or windbreaks.
Requirements: Grow in most soils. Many are native to semi arid to arid inland Australia.
Most prefer warm, sunny conditions, but will tolerate very hot and very cold.
Culture: Prune as required, feed and water when young to establish faster, Propagate easily from cuttings.
Pest & Disease: Few problems
Species & Varieties:
Approximately 30 species, including:
M. acuminatum -To 4m tall, light green foliage, white flowers, bluish fruit, hardy to salt winds
M. deserti -To 3m tall, white flowers, yellow fruit, prefers dry soil and air
M. floribundum -Attractive shrub to 3m tall, very narrow leaves, tolerates some shade, white flowers, from temperate Australia, may not be as well suited to the tropics
M. insulare (Boobialla) -A tall shrub or small tree to 10m, with thick, lanceolate or obovate leaves to 8cm long. Flowers white with purple spots to about 1cm across. Fruits globular, purplish-blue to about 1cm across.
M. montanum -Narrow leaves, shrub to 3m tall, flowers white with purplish spots, purple fruit, grows best in dry inland locations
M. platycarpum (Sugarwood) -Attractive shrub or small tree 4-8m tall, white flowers, hardy in dry locations, timber has a sweet scent,
M. sandwicense (Bastard Sandalwood, Naio) -A tree to 20m with hard, dark yellow-green wood with a sandalwood fragrance. Leaves ovate to lanceolate and up to 15cm long. Flowers pink or white up to 1cm across. The wood was formerly used as a sandalwood substitute.