FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Seedlings that are less than 3 to 6 months old, or only 4 to 8 inches
(10-20 cm) high are often killed by hot surface fires.  Death may occur
as a result of lethal temperatures, insufficient food reserves to
produce new shoots, or drying of the sediments due to increased
exposure.  Older seedlings are top-killed by most fires but recover
quickly, often with multiple shoots sprouting from the root collar [10].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
A mature maleleuca tree will respond to fire by releasing millions of
seeds that are held in the capsules on the twigs and branches.  Adults
damaged by fire may also sprout vigorously from the roots, bole, or
branches.  The proliferation of branches on a burned adult tree often
results in more twigs, and thus more capsules and more seed production
than was the case prior to the burn [22,23].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Fire alone has not been recommended as an effective means of controlling
melaleuca [18,19].  However, there is a possibility (as yet untried)
that fire may be useful in controlling melaleuca on some sites.  If the
adult melaleuca were killed by below-freezing temperatures, fire might
be a good method of eliminating any subsequent seedlings.  A second
possible use of fire would be to induce a melaleuca seed release at a
time when germinating seeds would be killed by drought or flooding.
This approach would require accurate predictions of water level changes
and merits additional research before definite recommendations can be
made [23].

Related categories for Species: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca