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Melaleuca is an invasive exotic plant that is originally from Australia.
It is sometimes called punk tree, white bottle-brush tree or paper-bark
tree. This member of the Eucalyptus family
has a characteristic camphor-like scent when the leaves are
crushed. The flowers produce chemical compounds that cause respiratory
problems for some people. Others think the blossoms, which resemble
bottle-brushes, have a scent similar to mashed potatoes and gravy. Melaleuca was introduced to the United States in the early 1900's as an
ornamental tree and also to help Adry up@
swampy areas. The trees are very adaptable and can live in either dry or
wet settings. They are common in South Florida swamps and marshes. The
trees spread rapidly by producing and storing many seeds. In fact, one
tree is capable of producing as many as one million seeds per year. When
the trees are stressed, such as by fire or frost, they release even more
seeds. In some locations, Melaleuca can out-compete and replace as much as
50 acres of native vegetation per day. The seeds are dispersed by both
wind and water and quickly establish new stands. These trees form dense
monocultures that pose a serious threat to natural communities, such as
the Everglades.
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While the trees can cause serious environmental problems, they are
valuable to honeybees, bats and certain birds that are attracted to melaleuca blossoms for their nectar.
Melaleuca honey is popular with many beekeepers. Control of melaleuca is a serious problem in Florida. Although the trees
are highly flammable, they reproduce quickly after fires. Some experiments
involve the introduction of Australian snout beetles, who are natural
enemies and feed only on melaleuca leaves. Melaleuca can be found growing rampant in many wetlands in South
Florida. The trees are especially dense and troublesome in the Everglades.
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