Paperbark Tree aka Punk Tree aka Tea Tree

A tree of many names and many gifts

Paperbark treeQur’anic Botanic Garden

Why is the tea tree called tea tree?

it was the British explorer Captain James Cook who coined this name. He noticed that the indigenous people in Australia, from where the tree originates, used its leaves to make an infusion that smelled a bit like nutmeg.

Paperbark treeQur’anic Botanic Garden

Scientifically known as Melaleuca quinquenervia, it is a long-lived, moderately fast-growing tropical tree growing to a height of 8 meters.

Paperbark treeQur’anic Botanic Garden

Not only the oil

Many of us know the advantages of  tea tree oil which is both antifungal and antibiotic. But Melaleuca has more to offer...

Paperbark treeQur’anic Botanic Garden

The paperbark tree can be used for windbreaks and may have a role in erosion control on degraded and poor soils. Its belowground effects include reduced levels of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in the organic litter layer, and lower microbial biomass nutrient pools in soil.

Paperbark treeQur’anic Botanic Garden

The wood is used for a wide range of purposes including mine timbers, fence posts and rails, flooring, house timbers and pulp.

Its spongy white bark peels off in thin layers. 

Paperbark treeQur’anic Botanic Garden

M. quinquenervia is a good source of nectar and pollen for bees.

 It is a major source of honey in Australia and Florida, USA.

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