Melaleuca quinquenervia – Paperbark

Melaleuca quinquenervia - broad leaf paperbark flowers

Melaleuca quinquenervia - broad leaf paperbark
Melaleuca quinquenervia - broad leaf paperbark
Melaleuca quinquenervia - broad leaf paperbark

A medium sized to tall tree, growing from 8 to 25 metres tall and 5 to 10 metres wide, with lovely thick soft papery bark in cream to brown shades. The growth is spreading and makes a beautiful feature tree, and flowers with white bottlebrushes in late summer to autumn, attracting nectar eating wildlife. It withstands both very wet conditions and dryness, frost to -5, useful for windbreaks and as a street tree. Can be pruned to a single trunk or to a branching spreading tree. As it is a large plant, care needs to be taken as the root system could become a problem. The leaves can be used to make cineole-rich essential oil for various pharmaceutical uses, the bark was traditionally used for wrapping food for cooking, lining cradles, to stuff pillows and as emergency bandages. It naturally grows from Cape York Queensland to Sydney, also occurs in New Guinea and New Caledonia. It has been declared a noxious weed in 6 states of America where it has taken over some valuable ecosystems.

Family : Myrtaceae

Cultivar Name:

Plant Type : Large tree

Width : 10

Flowering Time : Summer, Autumn

Soil Type : Sandy, Clay, Loamy, Sandy loam, Clay loam, Saline, Poor soil

Climate Zone : Tropical, Sub-tropical, Warm temperate

Growth Habit : Evergreen, Spreading

Soil Moisture : Dry, Well-drained, Moist moderate drainage, Boggy poorly drained

Special Uses : Tea, Bird nesting plant

Scientific Name: Melaleuca quinquenervia

Common Name : Paperbark

Height : 25

Flower Color : White, Cream

pH Level : Acid, Neutral

Plant Environment :

Light : Sunny, Light shade

Lifespan :

Frost Tolerance : Tolerates light frost

Attracts Wildlife : Bees, Nectar eating birds, Butterflies, Other insects, Mammals