Q: Is it legal to have melaleuca growing on my property?

A:  Technically it is illegal, according to Florida Statutes 369.25 and 369.251 which states "no person shall import, transport, non-nursery cultivate, collect, sell, or possess any noxious aquatic plant" including melaleuca, and "a person may not sell, transport, collect, cultivate, or possess any plant, including any part or seed, of the species Melaleuca quinquenervia.”  However, while trees that have been in place for over a decade are not of immediate concern under the Florida Prohibited Plant Rules, state officials strongly encourage the voluntary removal of such trees. They serve as sources of constant re-infestation by windblown seed of nearby natural areas. Furthermore, melaleuca is regulated by the State of Florida and the federal government as a noxious weed. Melaleuca trees may also be locally regulated, as they are in Palm Beach and Lee Counties.

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