Broad Leaf Melaleuca

Broad Leaf Melaleuca (Melaleuca leucadendra 'Broad Leaf') is the fast growing paperbark to plant when you need height and you need it soon. In a suburban garden it settles at around 10m tall and 6m wide, with soft weeping foliage, creamy white bottlebrush flowers and papery peeling bark. It is one of the few large trees that will grow in ground too wet for anything else.

Why you'll love it

• Fast growing. This is the tree for a bare boundary or a new estate block, putting on serious height well ahead of most native shade trees.
• It will grow in wet ground. Wet feet tolerant, so a low corner of the block or a creek flat that kills other trees suits it perfectly.
• Weeping foliage and peeling bark. Long narrow leaves hang from arching branches, and the layered white bark peels in sheets.
• Wildlife magnet. The cream flower spikes are heavy with nectar and bring in honeyeaters, lorikeets, native bees and butterflies.
• Built for exposure. Wind and salt tolerant, and comfortable in humidity, so it holds up on an open coastal block.

Where it works best

Screening and windbreaks. Plant 3m apart for a tall screen. A double staggered row at 3m spacing filters wind rather than blocking it, which is what an exposed site needs.

Shade trees, driveways and avenues. Spaced 3m to 4m along a drive, the weeping canopies close over quickly. The shade is dappled, so grass still grows beneath.

Wet and difficult ground. Boggy corners, dam edges and areas that hold water after storms are where this tree outperforms almost anything else of its size.

Growing Broad Leaf Melaleuca in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade. This is a tree for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so cool temperate and frosty inland districts are outside its range, and young trees need shelter for their first few winters.

Soil. Almost anything, including heavy clay and soils that stay wet. Sharp drainage is not a requirement, which is unusual for a tree this size. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer. After that it is largely self sufficient, and it grows faster with water than without.

Feeding. A slow release native fertiliser, low in phosphorus, in early spring for the first few years.

Pruning and placement. Little pruning beyond removing competing leaders while the tree is young. Be deliberate about placement: the roots actively seek moisture, so keep it at least 8m from sewer lines, septic systems and house slabs. It also sheds bark and fine litter continually, so avoid planting directly over a pool.

What to expect when it arrives

Broad Leaf Melaleuca is grown in 200mm packs of six, 300mm pots, and 45L, 100L and 1000L sizes. Given how fast it grows, the 200mm and 300mm plants suit a long screen. The 45L and 100L trees carry a formed trunk and real height on arrival.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet few weeks after planting, then strong growth through the first warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Paperbark trees: how to identify and care for them
• Browse the full melaleuca range
• Compare plants for windbreaks
• Planting into poorly drained ground

Common questions

How big does it actually get?

Around 10m tall and 6m wide in a suburban garden. In its natural tropical wetlands the species passes 20m, so quoted heights vary a lot. Soil depth and water pull the mature size back.

How far from the house or pipes should I plant it?

At least 8m from sewer and stormwater lines, septic trenches and house slabs. The roots seek moisture, and this is the one genuine drawback. On a small block, choose a smaller tree.

How fast will it screen a boundary?

Quickly. A row planted 3m apart from 300mm stock screens usefully in three to four years, faster again from 45L or 100L plants.