Melaleuca

Melaleuca is an exotic invasive tree that was introduced into Florida from Australia to stabilize swampy areas near lakes and canals. These trees drink massive amounts of water and have caused a fire hazard, earning their name as the Everglades ecosystem’s worst enemies. A collaborative effort to wipe out the melaleuca, called the TAME Melaleuca Project, is being carried out by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. In 1990, the South Florida Water Management District began an aggressive campaign to lower melaleuca populations across South Florida. As a result, melaleuca acreage on public lands has decreased dramatically. But the 60 to 100 foot tall trees continue to spread at such a high rate on private property that there has been little decrease in overall acreage covered.

The volume of seeds helps the trees to spread. Stress on the trees (fire, cutting, or spraying) causes them to open and release the seeds and mature trees can hold millions of seeds. While herbicides will kill trees, they cannot keep up with seed production and unless a stump is ground, trees will resprout after being cut down.