Edible: Leaves - flavouring
A tall spreading tree. It grows 10-20 m high. It spreads to 10-25 m wide. The branches are slender and hang downwards. The leaves are silvery-green. The bark is papery and light grey. It is soft and layered. The leaves are produced alternately. They are silvery and covered with silky hairs when young. The leaves are long and narrow and widest in the middle but tapering to each end. They are 5-14 cm long by 0.6-2 cm wide. There are 3-5 veins along the leaf. The leaves are pointed at the tip. The leaf stalk is hairy and 0.4-1 cm long. The flowers are cream with many stamens. They have a strong scent. Flowers are 1.2-1.5 cm long and stalkless. The form cylinder shaped spikes which can be 5-12 cm long by 2.5-3 cm wide. The spikes occur in clusters of 4 near the end of branches. The fruit are small cup-shaped woody capsules. They do not have stalks and are 0.3 cm across. They are grey-brown when ripe. They have many very small seeds.
A tropical plant. It will grow in the subtropics and warm temperate regions. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 400 m altitude. They grow naturally along the banks of freshwater creeks. They are on sandy loam soils. The soil needs to be well drained. They can tolerate occasional flooding. They can tolerate light frosts. It can grow in semi arid areas.
Common Names: River paperbark, Silver Cadjeput, Silvery weeping River Teatree