|
The Melaleuca is one of many exotic imports from Australia. Originally this tree was brought to Florida in the early 1900's as a landscaping ornamental and to help dry out wetlands. A mature Melaleuca can use up to 7 times as much water as a native tree.
The Melaleuca is also sometimes called the Paperbark Tree because of the way the bark peels off of the trunk in layers. This allows the Melaleuca to successfully withstand wildfires. The outer dead bark burns off while the inner live bark remains intact. The native South Florida Slash Pine has developed a similar adaptation to survive fires.
Another unique feature of the Melaleuca are the seedpods growing at the end of the branches. Each pod contains up to 200 seeds, which are released into the environment when the tree is subjected to stress factors. These stress factors can include fire, herbicides or manual cutting. A mature tree can produce up to 20 million seeds per year making this tree a land manager's nightmare! |
