melaleuca |
Plants: Hardwood Trees |
|
Magnoliopsida > Myrtales > Myrtaceae > Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake
|
| Synonym(s): punktree, paperbark |
| Melaleuca is a tall (up to 80 ft. [24.4 m]), evergreen tree in the eucalyptus family that invades wetland habitats in southern Florida. The bark is papery, layered, brownish-white and peeling. The alternate leaves are gray-green, oval, 1-4 in. (2.5-10.2 cm) long and smell of camphor when crushed. Flowering occurs throughout the year. The brush-like spikes of flowers are white in color and give way to small, woody, seed capsules. Seeds are spread by wind and water. Melaleuca aggressively invades a variety of wetland habitats including sawgrass marshes, wet prairies, and aquatic sloughs. It often forms impenetrable thickets, reduces biodiversity, displaces native vegetation and reduces the value of these habitats for wildlife. It also accelerates the loss of groundwater due to increased evapotranspiration. Melaleuca is native to Australia, New Guinea, and New Caledonia and was first introduced into the United States in southern Florida in the early 1900s for landscaping and “swamp drying” purposes. Melaleuca resembles red bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), but the flowers of C. citrinus are red. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 1461018 |
Bark |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 2308093 |
Bark |
Thin layers of peeling bark |
David Nance |
| 5275055 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5275056 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5275057 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5275058 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5275059 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5275060 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5275061 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276021 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276023 |
Control |
Melaleuca removal at Farichild Tropical Garden |
Tony Pernas |
| 5276027 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1461025 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461012 |
Control |
Hack & Squirt |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461014 |
Control |
Fire |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1355046 |
Control |
Aerial herbicide applications are often used by land management agencies to control invasive melaleuca trees on large, remote areas of the Everglades. If not controlled, the melaleuca trees in the foreground will soon invade the sawgrass-dominated area in the background, which is more representative of the way the Everglades looks before melaleuca invasion. |
Stephen Ausmus |
| 1461007 |
Control |
Hack & Squirt and seedling pull |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461030 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461032 |
Control |
Aerial Velpar treatment |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461033 |
Control |
Velpar treatment |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461034 |
Control |
Velpar treatment |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461035 |
Control |
Velpar treatment |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461060 |
Control |
Aerial treatment - Velpar |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461081 |
Control |
Arsenal treatment |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461082 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461097 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461098 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461099 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461168 |
Control |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1499053 |
Control |
Aerial Application |
Tony Pernas |
| 1499054 |
Control |
Big Cypress national Preserve/Velpar ULW Treatment |
Tony Pernas |
| 1499056 |
Control |
chainsaw control |
Tony Pernas |
| 1499063 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 2199092 |
Control |
Hack and squirt chemical control treatment in Florida Everglades |
Albert (Bud) Mayfield |
| 2199096 |
Control |
Hack and squirt chemical control treatment in Florida Everglades |
Albert (Bud) Mayfield |
| 5276046 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276047 |
Control |
prescribed fire |
Tony Pernas |
| 5276048 |
Control |
pulling seedling |
Tony Pernas |
| 5345050 |
Control |
|
David J. Moorhead |
| 5345051 |
Control |
|
David J. Moorhead |
| 5345053 |
Control |
|
David J. Moorhead |
| 5345083 |
Control |
|
David J. Moorhead |
| 5276096 |
Control |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1461004 |
Feature(s) |
Blow-over |
Amy Ferriter |
| 5163028 |
Feature(s) |
trunk |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160005 |
Feature(s) |
papery trunk |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161042 |
Feature(s) |
bark |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161085 |
Feature(s) |
trunk |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161086 |
Feature(s) |
trunk with moss |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161087 |
Feature(s) |
trunk |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 2199099 |
Field |
after intense fire |
Albert (Bud) Mayfield |
| 2199100 |
Field |
Intense melaleuca fires are dangerous in the wildland-urban interface. Note the heat-singed hedge row next to the apartment complex across the street. |
Albert (Bud) Mayfield |
| 5160011 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163019 |
Flower(s) |
flwoers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163022 |
Flower(s) |
flowers and fruit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 1461028 |
Flower(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461029 |
Flower(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 5276031 |
Flower(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5391687 |
Foliage |
|
Barry Rice |
| 1461017 |
Foliage |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 5160006 |
Foliage |
leaves |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160099 |
Foliage |
leaves |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160008 |
Fruit(s) |
fruits |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160009 |
Fruit(s) |
fruits |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163027 |
Fruit(s) |
fruit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5276025 |
Fruit(s) |
capsules |
Tony Pernas |
| 2199097 |
Fruit(s) |
Seed capsules. |
Albert (Bud) Mayfield |
| 5161010 |
Habitat |
habitat |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161100 |
Habitat |
habitat |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5276026 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276034 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276035 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276036 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276037 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276038 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276040 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276022 |
Infestation |
aerial photo |
Tony Pernas |
| 5276020 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1461036 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461038 |
Infestation |
Small mature head with seedlings and saplings surrounding it |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461039 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1499052 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1461016 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461005 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461026 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461020 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461021 |
Infestation |
Small head/outliers |
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461008 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461009 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461010 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1355048 |
Infestation |
Forms dense forests that can reach heights of over 20 meters. |
Stephen Ausmus |
| 1461001 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461002 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461003 |
Infestation |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1299121 |
Infestation |
|
Randy Westbrooks |
| 5345048 |
Infestation |
|
David J. Moorhead |
| 5345049 |
Infestation |
dead trees |
David J. Moorhead |
| 5276032 |
Infestation |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5392365 |
Infestation |
Invading trees |
John M. Randall |
| 5392367 |
Infestation |
Understory totally eliminated |
John M. Randall |
| 0002122 |
Map |
distribution in Australia and neighboring islands. Solid black colors, and stars represent continuous and relatively isolated forests, respectively. |
Min B. Rayamajhi |
| 0002123 |
Map |
distribution in Florida, note stand concentrations along east and west coast of central and south Florida and scattered in between |
Min B. Rayamajhi |
| 1299162 |
Plant(s) |
Melaleuca Hammock in the Florida Everglades. |
Randy Westbrooks |
| 1461015 |
Plant(s) |
Mature outliers in open conditions |
Amy Ferriter |
| 5276028 |
Plant(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 4723011 |
Plant(s) |
Flowering saplings (cluster of white-flower inflorescence on the crown) representing early invasion stage in seasonally flooded habitat, note grassy ground vegetation. |
Min B. Rayamajhi |
| 4723012 |
Plant(s) |
A well established mature stand in a permanently flooded sawgrass habitat in the Everglades, note the tree stand is surrounded by the sea of sawgrass in the Florida Everglades. |
Willey Durden |
| 4723013 |
Plant(s) |
Vertical section of a stand in seasonally flooded site in the Florida Everglades, note dense melaleuca trees with white bark. |
Min B. Rayamajhi |
| 5276051 |
Plant(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276043 |
Plant(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1355044 |
Research |
ARS entomologists Paul Pratt (left) and Cressida Silvers (center) discuss melaleuca treatments used at the Prairie Pines demonstration site, one of the largest in the The Areawide Management and Evaluation of Melaleuca (TAME Melaleuca) project, with Anik Smith, Lee County land manager. |
Stephen Ausmus |
| 1355045 |
Research |
In a biological control impact study, research leader Ted Center climbs up to inspect a melaleuca tree that is protected from biocontrol agents with insecticides, while entomologist Cressida Silvers checks one that was planted at the same time and inoculated with biocontrol agents. Note that the biocontrol-inoculated tree is much smaller. |
Stephen Ausmus |
| 1461019 |
Seed(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 2199098 |
Seed(s) |
Opened seed capsules |
Albert (Bud) Mayfield |
| 1499097 |
Seed(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276033 |
Seed(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276049 |
Seed(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5376517 |
Seed(s) |
|
Julia Scher |
| 5376518 |
Seed(s) |
|
Julia Scher |
| 1499057 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1461013 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461011 |
Seedling(s) |
ringing a Cypress clump |
Amy Ferriter |
| 5276041 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276042 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1624065 |
Stand |
From northern Australia, was introduced into south Florida as a landscape plant around 1906. Since then, it has invaded the Florida Everglades and is expanding its range at a rate of 50 acres per day. |
Alison Fox |
| 1299147 |
Stand |
understory |
John M. Randall |
| 1299151 |
Stand |
|
Randy Westbrooks |
| 1499061 |
Stand |
Aerial Application at Loxahatchee NWR |
Tony Pernas |
| 5391688 |
Stem(s) |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5276050 |
Tree(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276044 |
Tree(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276045 |
Tree(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5392366 |
Tree(s) |
Trees on the shore |
John M. Randall |
| 1499060 |
Tree(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1624035 |
Tree(s) |
A tree from Australia, was introduced into south Florida in the early 1900s as a landscape ornamental, to dry up the Everglades and for use as a timber crop. |
Alison Fox |
| 1461031 |
Tree(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1149043 |
Tree(s) |
|
USDA APHIS PPQ Archive |
| 1149045 |
Tree(s) |
|
USDA APHIS PPQ Archive |
| 1461027 |
Tree(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461022 |
Tree(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461023 |
Tree(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 1461024 |
Tree(s) |
|
Amy Ferriter |
| 2148043 |
Tree(s) |
Mid November, South Florida |
Zhihong Pan |
| 2148044 |
Tree(s) |
Mid December, South Florida |
Zhihong Pan |
| 5160004 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160007 |
Tree(s) |
habit small tree |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 2308094 |
Tree(s) |
|
David Nance |
| 5160070 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160071 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160097 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160098 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162004 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162005 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162073 |
Tree(s) |
habit with lichen |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163018 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161041 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161043 |
Tree(s) |
planted on ridge |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160010 |
Tree(s) |
large tree trunk with Kim |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160100 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161001 |
Tree(s) |
habit on ridge |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5276024 |
Tree(s) |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5163026 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163020 |
Tree(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163021 |
Tree(s) |
trunk and treetop |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5276029 |
Wildfire |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 5276030 |
Wildfire |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1499098 |
Wildfire |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1499062 |
Wildfire |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1499064 |
Wildfire |
post fire |
Tony Pernas |
| 1499058 |
Wildfire |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 1499059 |
Wildfire |
|
Tony Pernas |
