Xylomelum scottianum – Northern Woody Pear

Author: Jan Sked

Published: Journal March 2022

Pronounced: zy-low-MELL-um scot-ee-AR-num
Family: Proteaceae
Derivation: Xylomelum, from the Greek xylon, wood, and melon, apple, referring to the woody fruits. scottianum, after A.J. Scott.

This is a shrub or small tree, rarely higher than 6-8 metres. It has oval to lance-shaped leathery leaves 7-12cm long, arranged along the stems in opposite pairs.

It flowers in spring with whitish to cream and light brown flowers which are arranged in dense spikes to 8cm long.

Flowers are followed by woody, elongated, more or less pear-shaped fruits to 5cm long that eventually split into two halves and release two brown winged seeds.

Northern Woody Pear grows on sandy soils in open forests and is endemic to Australia, being widespread in the arid areas of Cape York Peninsula and on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.

Woody Pear is rarely cultivated. Plants are slow growing and may take many years to flower from seed. Propagation from fresh seed germinates readily, but is prone to damping off. Cuttings of hardened, new season’s growth may also be tried, but the strike rate is very erratic.

Woody Pear was used medicinally by the Aborigines as an infusion of bark and leaves, drunk to relieve internal pain.

Click here to read more about this plant at Bluewater Gorge.