Title image above is copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos

First published 17th October 2025

This is a sequel to Don't do This, Boys and Girls! — and again, please don’t try this at home!

As mentioned in that previous post, the roots of some species will go straight through the base of an Air-Pot if allowed to. This is not the fault of the Air-Pot, and is easily preventable as explained in that post.

And some species, well, grow larger than others…like this Prickly-Leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides).


Prickly-Leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides)
copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos

The funny part here is that I never planted that tree in that 1 L Air-Pot Prop-Pot!

I had Alehoof in it originally, which did its job becoming a groundcover elsewhere. I moved that Prop-Pot to where it is now — which was meant to be temporary, of course!! Some time later the paperbark self-seeded right bang in the middle of that Prop-Pot, of all the places to self-seed.

Anyway, the usual story, the Prop-Pot kinda got buried somewhat as other things were relocated near it and I completely forgot it was even there. The tree kept growing, and I truly thought it was in the ground. Until I finally got around to clearing that section, and, well, yeah, it was in the ground all right!


Prickly-Leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides)
copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos