Silver Cajeput

Melaleuca argentea is a tree usually to 8 m (30 ft) but sometimes to 20 m (70 ft). The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are elliptic, straight or sickle-shaped, 50–130 mm (2–5 in) long, about 7–24 mm (0.3–0.9 in) wide and have 5 to 9 longitudinal veins. Mature leaves are pale, silvery green and the young growth is soft, silvery and covered with silky soft hairs. The leaves are aromatic when crushed. The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering, sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. The spikes contain 5 to 20 groups of flowers in threes and are up to 30 mm (1 in) in diameter. The petals are about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and fall off as the flower ages. The stamens are in 5 bundles around the flower with 7 to 9 stamens per bundle. Flowering occurs in most months of the year and is followed by fruit which are woody, cup-shaped to cylindrical capsules, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) in diameter and loosely spaced along the branches.

Silver cajuput occurs in the Kimberley district of Western Australia, the Top End of the Northern Territory and north Queensland. Forests of M. argentea occur along swampy drainage lines in similar niches to Melaleuca quinquenervia which they displace in the far northern coastal portions of the wet tropics bioregion.

The life span of this species has been determined to be greater than 20 years. It first forms seeds at the age of 6–10 years and recovers from fire by regrowing from a lignotuber.

This tree described as a "handsome, weeping, silver-leaved tree" is suitable for tropical and sub-tropical areas. It is used as an ornamental tree in Brisbane.