Brisbane tree guide

Snow-in-summer tree

Melaleuca linariifolia · also called Flax-leaved paperbark

Snow-in-summer is a native paperbark tree that earns its name in late spring and summer, when fluffy white, honey-scented flowers almost hide the foliage. It has papery bark and narrow blue-green leaves, and usually grows about 8 to 10 metres tall. It copes with damp ground and short spells of flooding, which makes it useful for low, wet spots in Brisbane gardens.

Native to South East Queensland
8 to 10 m tall
Flowers November to February

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Snow-in-summer, from Wikimedia Commons — Photo: Eug, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Snow-in-summer at a glance

Height: 8 to 10 m (up to 12 m in the wild)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: White, cream, November to February
Roots: Aggressive
Origin: Coastal New South Wales from Eden north into Queensland, including the Brisbane region
Family: Myrtaceae

How to identify a snow-in-summer

This is a small paperbark with white to cream papery bark that peels away in layers. Its leaves are narrow, pointed and blue-green, 2 to 4.5 cm long, in pairs set at right angles to the pair below. In late spring and summer, fluffy white flower spikes up to 4 cm long cover the crown, giving off a honey-like scent. Each flower has many long stamens grouped into five bundles. Small cylindrical capsules then form in clusters along the old flower spikes.

Growing a snow-in-summer in Brisbane

Snow-in-summer is a local native. It grows naturally from the NSW south coast north into Queensland, and herbarium specimens were collected around Brisbane as early as 1863. In the wild it favours swampy ground near creeks, so it suits damp spots and heavier soils and tolerates short-term flooding. It does not thrive on hot, dry, exposed sites without extra water, and it flowers best in full sun. At 8 to 10 metres it suits a medium or large suburban garden.

What to watch out for

Paperbark roots can find their way into pipes. Urban Utilities advises against planting paperbarks near sewer lines because their roots seek out water, so keep this tree well clear of drains and sewers. Webbing caterpillars can cause heavy leaf loss in some years. Otherwise melaleucas are generally healthy, trouble-free trees.

Pruning and care

Give it full sun and steady moisture: it benefits from extra water in dry spells and handles soil that stays damp. A light trim each year promotes bushy growth, and denser foliage gives a better flowering display. Melaleucas generally respond well to pruning, and a slow-release fertiliser after flowering is recommended. Watch for webbing caterpillars, which bind leaves and droppings into a web and can strip foliage. Large or high pruning work is a job for a qualified arborist.

Snow-in-summer: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

Why is it called snow-in-summer?

In late spring and summer the tree is covered in fluffy white flower spikes, so many that they almost hide the leaves, which looks like a dusting of snow.

How tall does a snow in summer tree grow?

It usually grows to about 8 to 10 metres, occasionally 12. Shrubby cultivars such as 'Snowstorm' and 'Sea Foam' stay at about 1.5 and 2.5 metres.

Is snow-in-summer the same as weeping paperbark?

No. The names have been mixed up in the past, but snow-in-summer is Melaleuca linariifolia, also called flax-leaved paperbark, and it is a different tree from the weeping paperbark.

Does snow-in-summer grow in wet soil?

Yes. It grows naturally in swampy ground near creeks and tolerates temporary flooding, and it also grows well in ordinary garden soil with regular water.

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Sources and credits

Photo: Eug, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This profile updates sheet 57 of the plant profile booklet made for Colourful Tree Lopping in 2013. We checked every fact against current sources and rewrote it for the guide.

Checked October 2026. Weed listings and council rules change: check the council's and the Queensland Government's pages before you act.