Paper-bark tree fact sheet – gurrundurrung | Field of Mars EEC

What are paper-bark trees?

Paper-bark trees are native Australian trees and tall shrubs with pale, layered bark that peels in thin, soft sheets. Most paper-bark trees belong to the genus Melaleuca, a group of flowering plants in the myrtle family. They often have aromatic leaves, cream or white brush-like flower spikes and clusters of woody seed capsules.

Several paper-bark species grow in Field of Mars Reserve and nearby Lane Cove National Park, including Melaleuca decora, Melaleuca ericifolia, Melaleuca linariifolia, Melaleuca quinquenervia and Melaleuca styphelioides. They are important plants along creeks, wetland edges, damp forest areas and planted groves because they provide nectar, shelter, bark habitat and soil stability.

Paper-bark flowers and leaves.

Large old Melaleuca quinquenervia – broad-leaved paper-bark – growing in Sydney Harbour National Park.

Where do paper-bark trees grow?

Paper-bark trees grow in moist places such as creek banks, swamps, lake margins, low-lying coastal areas and the edges of salt marshes. Some species can also grow in damp parts of eucalypt forest, heath or woodland. Their spreading root systems help them stay stable in wet soil.

At Field of Mars Reserve, paper-bark trees are locally important along creeklines and damp areas such as Buffalo Creek. They also occur in nearby bushland and wetland systems, including parts of Lane Cove National Park and coastal swamp forests elsewhere in NSW.

Paper-bark trees grow naturally on the banks of creeks and can survive regular flooding.

How are paper-bark trees used by Aboriginal Peoples?

Paper-bark trees have long been important plants for Aboriginal Peoples in parts of Australia. In Dharug language records, gurrundurrung is recorded for paperbark from a tree. This links the plant to local Sydney language knowledge, while the exact uses of particular paper-bark species varied between places and communities.

Some Aboriginal Peoples used soft sheets of paperbark for practical purposes, including wrapping food for cooking, lining coolamons, making bedding, covering shelters and using bark as a bandage. Leaves of some Melaleuca species were also used in bush medicine, such as crushed or infused leaves for colds, coughs or skin problems. These uses should be taught respectfully as cultural knowledge, not as instructions for students to collect, prepare or use plants. Tea tree oil and Melaleuca leaves should not be eaten or used medicinally without expert advice.

Sheets of soft papery bark have been used by some Aboriginal Peoples for wrapping, bedding and shelter.

What animals use paper-bark trees?

Many animals use paper-bark trees for food, shelter or hunting. Their nectar-rich flowers attract insects such as bees, as well as nectar-feeding birds including rainbow lorikeets, red wattlebirds and other honeyeaters. Possums and flying foxes may also feed from the flowers and help move pollen between trees.

The dense foliage can shelter small birds, while the soft layered bark creates hiding places for spiders, insects and other invertebrates. Older trees can provide crevices and sheltered spaces, and fallen leaves and bark help build leaf litter for decomposers and ground-dwelling animals.

Paper-bark flowers produce nectar that attracts birds, mammals and insects.

What is the life cycle of paper-bark trees?

Paper-bark trees are flowering plants. Flowering time depends on the species. Some flower in spring or summer, while broad-leaved paper-bark can flower in autumn and winter. The brush-like flower spikes are made from many small flowers with long stamens. Insects, birds and mammals visit the flowers for nectar and can help move pollen between plants.

After pollination, woody seed capsules form along the stem. Each capsule can hold many tiny seeds. In many Melaleuca species, capsules may stay on the plant for a long time and release seeds after heat, drying, fire or the death of the stem. If seeds land in suitable moist soil with enough light, some germinate and grow into young paper-bark trees.

Paper-bark flowers are made from clusters of long stamens.

Paper-bark seed capsules hold many tiny seeds.

What adaptations do paper-bark trees have to help them survive?

Many paper-bark trees are adapted to wet, swampy or flood-prone habitats. Their spreading roots help hold them steady in soft wet soil. Some Melaleuca species can also form fibrous or adventitious roots near the lower trunk, which may help them cope with waterlogged soils where oxygen is low.

Their thick layered bark can help protect the living trunk from heat and fire. Aromatic oils in the leaves may help protect the plant from some herbivores and pests. Some species can also regrow after disturbance, and their seed capsules help store seeds until conditions are suitable for release and germination.

Matted paper-bark tree roots help stabilise wet soil along lake and creek edges.

Why are paper-bark trees important?

Paper-bark trees are important because they support many parts of the ecosystem at once. Their flowers provide nectar and pollen, their bark and foliage create shelter, and their leaves and bark become part of the leaf litter that feeds decomposers and small animals.

Along creeks, lakes and wetlands, paper-bark tree roots help hold soil in place and reduce erosion. In swampy areas, stands of paper-bark trees can help create shaded, protected wetland edges that filter water, trap sediment, recycle nutrients and provide habitat for birds, mammals, insects, spiders and other invertebrates.

Coastal paper-bark forests help protect wetland edges and support many animals.

How can you help paper-bark trees?

You can help paper-bark trees by staying on tracks, observing trees without peeling bark, and leaving flowers, leaves, seed capsules and fallen bark in place. Bark protects the tree and also creates habitat for small animals, so it should not be removed from living trees.

You can also help by keeping litter, soil, oils, fertilisers and garden waste out of drains and creeks. Weed control, bushcare and protecting wetland edges help young native plants grow. If planting near creeks, schools or gardens, choose local native species with advice from a local council, nursery or bushcare group so the plant suits the site and does not cause problems.

Removing weeds helps protect paper-bark trees and young native plants at Field of Mars Reserve.

Related fact sheets

More plant fact sheets

• Plant fact sheets – Explore more native shrubs, trees and ground cover plants of Sydney and NSW.
• Grey mangrove fact sheet – Compare another water-edge tree that protects shorelines and supports wetland animals.
• Swamp she-oak fact sheet – Learn about another tree that grows near estuaries, creeks and damp places.
• Sydney red gum fact sheet – Explore another local tree that provides nectar, shade and habitat.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – Learn about local bushland, creeks, salt marsh and wetland habitats in the Lane Cove River catchment.
• Water habitats fact sheet – Explore creeks, ponds and water habitats that support plants and animals.
• Coastal salt marsh fact sheet – Learn about a wetland that can occur near paper-bark trees along estuary edges.
• Eucalypt forest fact sheet – Compare nearby forest habitat where some paper-bark species may grow in moist gullies and creeklines.
• Mangrove forest fact sheet – Explore another wetland forest ecosystem found around sheltered tidal waterways.

Animals that use this habitat

• Rainbow lorikeet fact sheet – Learn about a nectar-feeding bird that visits flowering native trees.
• Red wattlebird fact sheet – Explore another nectar-feeding bird that uses flowering trees and shrubs.
• Common ringtail possum fact sheet – Learn about a nocturnal mammal that shelters and feeds in trees.
• Grey-headed flying-fox fact sheet – Discover a flying mammal that feeds on nectar and helps pollinate native trees.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Insects fact sheet – Discover insects that pollinate flowers and use bark, leaves and leaf litter.
• Leaf litter habitats fact sheet – Learn how fallen leaves and bark support decomposers and small animals.

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