Melaleuca quinquenervia aka Punktree

Melaleuca quinquenervia belongs to the myrtle family. This tree stays green all year. People call it punk tree or paperbark tree. It comes from eastern Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia. Its range includes New South Wales and Queensland. It grows by streams and estuaries, where rivers meet the sea. It also grows in swamps that flood for part of the year. In these wet sites, it can form dense stands.

Garden trees reach 25–40 feet (7.6–12.2 metres) tall. They spread 15–30 feet (4.6–9.1 metres) wide. Some trees reach about 82 feet (25 metres). Growth is fast, sometimes reaching 6 feet (1.8 metres) per year. The crown is narrow, but its density varies. Young branches hang down from a slender trunk. Twigs start red-brown, then turn gray-brown as they age. Thick, spongy bark peels off in pale, papery layers. Older trunks grow rough and shaggy. The leaves feel like leather and have a lance shape. Clear veins run side by side along each leaf. Leaf colour ranges from yellow-green to gray-green. Flooded trees can grow roots above the ground.

Small cream-white flowers grow in spikes at the branch tips. Their many long stamens make each spike look like a brush. Missouri Botanical Garden lists bloom time as June to October. Virginia Tech says flowers may bloom throughout the year. Insects pollinate the flowers. Short, woody seed cases, called capsules, line the spikes. They hold tiny seeds. Seeds often stay inside until some disturbance makes them fall out. Wind and water then spread them.

This tree grows best in full sun and moist or wet ground. It suits low ground, riverbanks and sites with standing water. It also copes with drier upland soils and a seasonal dry spell. Missouri Botanical Garden gives USDA hardiness zones 9–11. Light frost may cause little harm. Severe frost kills branches. The leaves and bark give the tree interest through winter. People grow it for its looks and to hold bare soil. Yet it is invasive in some warm regions. Avoid planting where it could spread into nearby habitats.

Records note uses of leaves and flowers in tea. Leaf oil also serves as a food flavouring. These uses do not mean that all preparations are safe. Bark can cause a rash in some people. Flowers may cause breathing trouble, headaches or nausea. People use oils from the tree in medicine. They also use them to repel insects, clean and dissolve things. The bark has uses as insulation, mulch and stuffing.