The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. => Topic started by: Tom on February 25, 2003, 12:42:10 PM

Title: What's this graveyard tree? Solved: Melaleuca
Post by: Tom on February 25, 2003, 12:42:10 PM
Some will know right away what this is.  If you do, give the others a chance to guess.  Charlie, Deadheader, Crosscut.....  You can play but you're disqualified to name it. :D
(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/tommel19.jpg)
They form a pretty crown for landscaping
(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/tommel20.jpg)
The seeds form like a row of corn from the sickeningly sweet smelling, bottle brush shaped flowers.
(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/tommel24.jpg)
The thick bark is composed of many thin layers and is pliable like paper.  Many commonly call it a paperbark tree.
Title: Re: What's this graveyard tree?
Post by: Bro. Noble on February 25, 2003, 01:00:14 PM
It looks like it might be some kinda willow?

Noble
Title: Re: What's this graveyard tree?
Post by: Mark M on February 25, 2003, 04:14:23 PM
It looks similar to a Russian Olive, but I've never seen one that big.

Mark
Title: Re: What's this graveyard tree?
Post by: chet on February 25, 2003, 06:38:47 PM

Australian Paperbark Tree,  other common names -bottle brush tree, cajeput tree, melaleuca, niaouli, paperbark, punktree
Title: Re: What's this graveyard tree? Solved: Melaleuca
Post by: Tom on February 25, 2003, 06:49:56 PM
That's good Chet!

It's taken over south Florida.  When I was a kid it was planted on our street as an ornamental.  Other than the bark, which I find neat, the main remembrance I have is the overpowering sweet smell of the flowers.  It was almost nauseating.  

I would certainly like to find a use for the lumber because a fellow could almost be paid to cut the trees down. 'Course if they found out you were using the tree then the economics would change and it would go from a nuisance weed to a valuable timber tree. :-/
Title: Re: What's this graveyard tree? Solved: Melaleuca
Post by: chet on February 25, 2003, 07:38:14 PM
Some of the invasive critters that plague Michigan are: purple loosestrife, glossy buckthorn, spotted knapweed, and zebra muscles. None of dem are sawable either.  :(
Title: Re: What's this graveyard tree? Solved: Melaleuca
Post by: CHARLIE on February 25, 2003, 11:48:54 PM
Yeah but Buckthorn is a beautiful wood to turn. Real nice grain and color.