''Lophostemon confertus'' (syn. ''Tristania conferta''), is an

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

tree native to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, though it is cultivated in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and elsewhere. Common names include brush box, Queensland box, Brisbane box, pink box, box scrub, and vinegartree. Its natural range in Australia is north-east

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and coastal

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

but it is commonly used as a

street tree Urban forestry is the care and management of single trees and tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry involves both planning and management, including the programming of care and ...

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

and other cities in eastern Australia.

Description

In the wild its habitat ranges from moist open forest and rainforest

ecotone An ecotone is a transition area between two biological communities, where two communities meet and integrate. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local (the zone between a field and forest) or regional (the transition between forest and gras ...

s, where it might reach heights of 40 metres or more, to coastal headlands where it acquires a stunted, wind-sheared habit. Dome-like in shape, it has a denser foliage with dark green, leathery leaves and hence provides more shade than

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as euca ...

trees. Moreover, it is considered safer than eucalypts because it rarely sheds limbs.

Habitat

It is considered useful as a street tree, due to its disease and pest resilience, its high tolerance for smog, drought and poor drainage, and the fact that it needs only moderate-to-light upkeep. It often requires lopping to accommodate overhead power lines, but survives pruning quite well.Shire of Yarra Ranges, ''Streetscape Strategy''
In form it is used as a replacement for the weedy Camphor Laurel ''(

Cinnamomum camphora ''Camphora officinarum'' is a species of evergreen tree that is commonly known under the names camphor tree, camphorwood or camphor laurel. Description ''Camphora officinarum'' is native to China south of the Yangtze River, Taiwan, southern ...

)'' while having a low potential for being weedy itself. The tree is one of the hardiest and most successful street trees within wider Sydney and elsewhere. One of the best examples is the garden suburb of Haberfield in Sydney where the streets are planted almost entirely with the tree. When the land was subdivided in 1901 the trees were planted in the road reserve creating a regular pattern and well shaded streets.

Taxonomy

The species was formally described in 1812 by Scottish botanist Robert Brown, based on plant material collected from the

Hunter River Hunter River may refer to: *Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia *Hunter River (Western Australia) *Hunter River, New Zealand *Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada **Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada ...

region in New South Wales. Brown named the species ''Tristania confertia''. The species was transferred to the genus ''

Lophostemon ''Lophostemon'' ('lophos' - crest, 'stemon' - stamen) is a genus of 4 species of evergreen tree in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. All four species are native to Australia, with one extending to New Guinea. The genus was first described in 1830 bu ...

'' in 1982.

Gallery

Image:Lophostemon confertus Pengo.jpg, Leaves Image:Brush Box tree flowers.jpg, Flowers

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1002860 Myrtaceae Myrtales of Australia Flora of Queensland Trees of Australia Ornamental trees