Descriptive Information
- Field marks: evergreen tree that grows in incredibly dense monotypic stands characterised by its thick bark that appears papery and grows in several layers, it often has mutliple trunks growing close to the soil surface giving it a shrublike appearance, its leaves are simple, alternate and arranged in spiral rows they are a dark green and are very dense, flowers are white and have a bristle brush appearance they grow on spike like structures, fruiting structures are clumped closely around their stem they are roughly round and are a grey-green in color with a small star-like pattern near top that can be tinged red
- Size: evergreen tree that typically reaches 15-21m (50-70 feet)
- General habitat: tolerant to a wide variety of conditions, it can live through extended flooding, moderate drought and low levels of salinity, often occurs in shallow soil that lies on a base of limestone and have been seen to readily take root in sand, it invades sparsely vegetated areas such as praires, marshes, and quickly takes root in fire damaged areas
- Geographic range: natural occurs in eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, it is an introduced species to the continental United States and has taken a firm hold in southern Florida's Everglades
- Ecosystem(s) where observed: eastern Everglades growing in dense colonies along the drainage canals
- Other information: The melaleuca invades areas with low vegetation or fire damaged areas its population often grows rapidly. It grows dense stands and more often than not it outcompetes native plants. It was introduced as way to dry up the swampland and to prevent errosion on deforested sites but it has quickly become what many think is the number one threat to the region. Since it can flower up to five times a year its reproductive rate is much higher than native plant and there have been counts as high as 30,000 saplings an acre. The melaleuca stands have been labeled as particularily poor habitat for wild life.
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