Native Range

Australia, New Caledonia, and New Guinea

Appearance

Melaleuca is an evergreen tree typically growing 49–80 ft tall (15–24 m) from an adapting root system with above- and below-ground roots. Trees in dense stands have a single, relatively straight trunk while those in open infestations may be multi-stemmed with wide canopies. The spongy bark is thick, consisting of many layers; outer layers often become ragged and partly unrolled. Leaves are alternate, leathery, lance-shaped, gray-green, and give off a camphor-like odor when crushed. Numerous flowers occur on creamy white bottlebrush-like inflorescences 1–3 in (2½–8 cm) long. The brown capsule fruits are arranged in tight clusters of 30– 70; each capsule contains 200–350 tiny brown seeds.

Impact

In southern Florida, melaleuca displaces native plants, reduces overall species diversity, alters soil chemistry, reduces decomposition rates, changes land physiography, and modifies hydrology and fire regimes.

Reference

Smith, M.C. and M.B. Rayamajhi. 2022. Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia): History and Ecology in North America. In: R.L. Winston, Ed. Biological Control of Weeds in North America. North American Invasive Species Management Association, Milwaukee, WI. NAISMA-BCW-2022-26- MELALEUCA-P. https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/25231.pdf

Resources

• Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States - USDA Forest Service
• Fire Effects Information System - USDA Forest Service
• Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
• Management Plan - Florida EPPC
• Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S. - USDA-APHIS

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Federal Noxious Weeds
• Florida Invasive Plant Council - Plant List - Category I
• Florida Noxious Weeds
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
• Massachusetts Noxious Weeds
• Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List
• New Invaders of the Southeast
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• Reichard, Sarah. 1994.  Assessing the potential of invasiveness in woody plants introduced in North America. University of Washington Ph.D. dissertation.
• South Carolina Illegal Aquatic Plants
• South Carolina Plant Pest List
• Southwest Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Mgmt. Area
• USDA APHIS Regulated Pest List
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References