Melaleuca quinquenervia (Paperbark Tree)

  • TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN): 0025
  • Botanical Name: Melaleuca quinquenervia
  • Common Name: Paperbark Tree
  • Cultivar: N/A
  • Family: Myrtaceae
  • Native To: Eastern Australia, New Caledonia, and Papua New Guinea
Melaleuca quinquenervia 
Photo by Matthew Gaston

Landscaping Information

  • Plant Type: Tree
  • Texture: Coarse
  • Form: Upright-Narrow to Weeping/Pendent 
  • Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'-80'
  • Height to Spread Ratio: 8:1
  • Growth Rate: Fast
  • Landscape Values: Street Tree, Background, Border, Framing, Mass, Screen, Sculptural Form, Space Division, Windbreak, Erosion Control
  • Outstanding Quality: Bark, Fragrance BUT Respiratory Distress!
Melaleuca quinquenervia  leaves and inflorescences 
Photo by Matthew Gaston

Botanical Information

  • Flowers: Fragrant and known to cause allergies to respiratory system and skin. Creamy white, floral tube is cup-shaped, stamens provide prominent visual features.
Melaleuca quinquenervia  leaves and inflorescences 
Photo by Matthew Gaston

  • Fruits: Capsule-like, woody, flat-topped, crowded on the inflorescence

Melaleuca quinquenervia  fruits
Photo by Matthew Gaston

  • Foliage Color: Young/immature: Bronze, Reddish, Soft, light green, or Yellow Green. Mature: Bright medium green, dark green, gray green, blue-green, gray, light green, yellow-green, bronze to red, or variegated. 
  • Foliage Tip: Acute
  • Foliage Base: Acute
  • Petiole: Rather short, 0.1"-0.25"
  • Stipules: N/A
  • Margins: Smooth
  • Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
  • Leaf Shape: Lanceolate to Oblanceolate
    • Leaf Type: Simple
    • Leaf Texture: A description of touching the leaf, how the leaf feels to the touch.
    • Leaf Special Notes: Parallel veins. When crushed, smells like Shave Ice or an analogous sweet, fruity smell.
    Melaleuca quinquenervia  leaves and inflorescences 
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    • Bark and Trunk: Soft, papery, white to cream to light brown bark. Peeling in sheets. 
    Melaleuca quinquenervia  trunk
    Photo by Matthew Gaston
    Melaleuca quinquenervia  trunk
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    Horticultural Information

    • Light Preference: Full Sun
    • Light Tolerances: Semi-Sun
    • Soil Preferences: Organic, Moist
    • Tolerances: Poor Drainage, Submerged Roots, Smog, Compacted Soil, Strong Winds, Moderate Winds, Humidity, Regular Watering, Drought. 
    • Water Requirements: Naturally grows in wetlands and swampy locations, but can tolerate drought. 
    • Notes on Maintenance: Compounds in the flower are known to induce respiratory and skin allergies. Messy bark flakes off, a registered noxious weed in Hawaii. Can tolerate conditions most trees cannot. 
    • Propagation: Seed, Root Suckers
    • USDA Hardiness Zone: 9a
    • Weed Risk Assessment Score (WRA): 15,  High Risk

    Most Popular Plants

    Bucida buceras 'Variegated' (Dwarf Variegated Geometry Tree)

    Image
    TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0083 Botanical Name: Bucida buceras 'Variegated' Common Name: Dwarf Variegated Geometry Tree, Variegated Madagascar Almond, Spiny Black Olive, Oxhorn Bucida Cultivar: 'Variegata' Family: Combretaceae Native To: Mexico, Central America, The Caribbean, and Northern South America Bucida beceras ' Variegata' growing in a Malaysian neighborhood parkway Photo by Mahmud Yussop of Laman Kambatik Plants List Landscaping Information Plant Type : Broadleaf Evergreen Tree Texture: Fine, Open Form: Upright-Narrow to Spreading, somewhat Irregular Height (on average, in landscape use): 5'-8' (As a house plant), 30'-60' (Outdoors) Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 to 2:1 Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Street Tree, Color, Framing, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Sculptural Form, Specimen, Windbreak, Erosion Control, Shade Outstanding Quality: Foliage Color, Variegation,
    Read More»

    Graptophyllum pictum (Caricature Plant)

    Image
    T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0002 Botanical Name: Graptophyllum pictum Common Name: Caricature Plant Cultivars: 'Igneum', 'Lurido-sanguineum', 'Tricolor'/'Waimea', 'Eldorado' Family: Acanthaceae  (Acanthus Family) Graptophyllum pictum   Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Igneum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Lurido-sanguineum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Eldorado'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Tricolor' (believed to be the same as Graptophyllum pictum 'Waimea') Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: New Guinea Landscaping Information
    Read More»

    Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii (Variegated False Eranthemum)

    Image
    T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0005 Botanical Name: Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii (syn. Pseuderanthemum reticulata) Common Name: Variegated False Eranthemum, El Dorado, El Dorado False Eranthemum, El Dorado Eranthemum, Yellow Veined Eranthemum Variety: carruthersii (See Additional Notes at the bottom of the page) Family: Acanthaceae Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii  Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To:   Melanesia   Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub Texture: Dense Form:   Upright-broad Height (on average, in landscape use):   4'- 6' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Background, Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge (large one really), Mass, Screen, Space Division Outstanding Quality: Foliage Characters Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii growing tightly between a walkway and a wall.  Photo by Matthew Gaston
    Read More»

    Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia (Wax Fig)

    Image
    T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0016 Botanical Name: Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia Common Name: Wax Fig, Taiwan Ficus Variety: crassifolia Family: Moraceae Native To: Southern Taiwan Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia leaves. Note the bronze to bright yellow-green young leaves.  Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub Texture: Dense Form: Mound, Cushion Height (on average, in landscape use): 1.5' - 4' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Space Division, Groundcover, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Foliage and Form; often used for Bonsai  Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia  as a hedge/groundcover below a tree  Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers/Fruits: paired figs, sessile, 0.2"-0.4" long, glabrous, purple to black when ripe.
    Read More»

    Breynia disticha (Snow Bush)

    Image
    TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0151 Botanical Name: Breynia disticha 'Roseopicta' Common Name: Snowbush, Snow bush, Ice-Cream Bush, Calico Plant, Sweetpea Bush, Foliage Flower Shrub, Laukalakoa (Hawaiian) Cultivar: 'Roseopicta' is likely the cultivar seen in the images on this page. Family: Phyllanthaceae Breynia disticha Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: Vanuatu and New Caledonia  Landscaping Information Plant Type : Treelet, Shrub Texture: Dense Form: Upright-broad to even Weeping/Irregular, but usually seen trimmed into a hedge Height (on average, in landscape use): 2'- 4' (can reach 10' in ideal conditions) Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 to 1:2 Growth Rate: Medium to Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Background, Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Mass, Quick Effect, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Foliage Color Breynia disticha between a fence and
    Read More»

    Jatropha integerrima (Peregrina)

    Image
    TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0069 Botanical Name:   Jatropha integerrima Common Name: Peregrina, Spicy Jatropha, Rose-Colored Jatropha, Fire Cracker Jatropha Cultivar: N/A Family: Euphorbiaceae Jatropha integerrima  Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: Hispaniola and Cuba Landscaping Information:  Plant Type : Treelet Texture: Medium, Open Form:  Round Headed to Upright-broad. Can be somewhat easily trimmed into a Spreading form. Height (on average, in landscape use): 10'-20' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Accent, Color, Framing, Screen, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Flower Color Jatropha integerrima  Photo by Matthew Gaston Jatropha integerrima  in Honolulu acting as a large hedge and screen. Note the staircase where the plant can be appreciated from above. Photo by Matthew Gaston Jatropha integerrima at UH Manoa trimmed into a spreading form Photo by Matthew
    Read More»