The Melaleuca Story

Melaleuca is a non-native tree that was introduced to in the 1920's as a way to dry up the Everglades. Because of its quick proliferation, it destroys native vegetation. The cypress trees that make up so much of the native wetland areas are invaluable to the ecology on many levels. They help purify water by filtering out some nutrients, for instance, and they provide a habitat for a number of animals including owls, wood storks, bobcats and woodpeckers. Cypress Trees are also slow growers, so cutting them down leaves wetland areas unprotected and much more vulnerable to depletion. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claimed in its 2000 report entitled “Wetland Status and Trends” that between 1986 and 1997, 644,000 acres of wetlands were lost, with an estimated annual loss rate of 58,500 acres.

FloriMulch®, the leader in the melaleuca mulch market provides a number of features based on its core component–melaleuca. It serves a practical use of controlling weeds, reducing watering, and protecting roots. In addition, recent studies conducted at the University of Florida suggests termites survived better and consumed more mulch made up of pine and cypress sapwoods. However, they did not survive with a strict melaleuca diet.

All FloriMulch® products feature an endorsement from The Friends of the Florida Everglades, leaders in the crusade to save the National Park’s native environment. In addition, FloriMulch® meets the standards established by the Mulch & Soil Council, ensuring that its product label is truthful, accurate and that product claims have been verified.