Melaleuca armillaris

Native to southeastern Australia, this evergreen shrub grows in heath communities. It can reach about sixteen feet tall and is often found on coastal headlands and ranges. Dense cylindrical flower spikes are usually white, though pink forms occur. Their many projecting stamens give the clusters a soft brush-like appearance. Flowering takes place during the Australian summer. Outside its native range, it has become an environmental weed in southern Victoria and South Australia, where dense growth displaces native vegetation and increases fire fuel. Photographed in Colombia.