Leaves, petals and foliage come in different sizes.
So does gutter mesh.
That’s why you’ll hear us say again and again that it’s imperative you match your mesh to the size of the vegetation in your area. If you don’t, you risk choosing a mesh that will let leaves through and into your gutters. And that’s just as bad as having no mesh at all.
Of course, unless you’re a botanist, chances are you aren’t intimately familiar with the size of the leaves on different trees and bushes.
So to help you out, we’ve put together this article laying out the size of leaves, petals & foliage on a range of trees commonly found across Australia.
Needles
Needle-like leaves are 1mm or less in width. They vary considerable in length, but it’s their width that makes them a challenge when choosing the right gutter mesh for your property.
2mm and 4mm aperture gutter mesh will keep out most needle-like leaves. However, some needles may get through the mesh. Additional maintenance is therefore required for properties with windblown needles or overhanging trees that drop needles.
Common name | Botanical name | Problem part/s | Tree height | Evergreen / Deciduous | Image |
Pine tree (a collective term) | Conifers / Pinus (cone-bearing plants) | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 3m+ | E |
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Sheoak | Allocasuarina / Casuarina | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 8-18m | E | |
Bottlebrush | Callistemon | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 4-7m | E | |
Paperbark | Melaleuca quinquenervia | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 5-12m | E | |
Wattle | Acacia | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 4-5m | E | |
Heath banksia | Banksia ericifolia | Needle leaves, flower stamens | 5m | E |
Small Leaves
Small leaves can be between 2mm and 20mm in width. Some grow up to 50mm in length.
2mm aperture mesh is recommended to keep most small leaves out of your gutters and minimise the need for gutter maintenance.
Common name | Botanical name | Problem part/s | Tree height | Evergreen / Deciduous | Image | |
Poinciana | Poinciana delonix regia | Leaves, flower stamens | 12m | D | ||
Jacaranda | Jacaranda mimosifolia | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 15m+ | D | ||
Golden rain tree | Koelreuteria paniculata | Leaves, flowers | 7m | D | ||
Pride of Bolivia / Rosewood / Yellow jacaranda | Tipuana tipu | Leaves, flowers | 30m | D | ||
Black peppermint / Peppermint willow | Eucalyptus nicholii | Leaves, flower stamens | 15m | E | ||
Mock orange / Orange jessamine | Murraya paniculata | Leaves, flowers | 3m+ | E | ||
Small leafed figs | Ficus obliqua | Leaves, berries | 10-30m | E | ||
Golden shower tree | Cassia fistula | Leaves, flowers | 5m+ | E | ||
Hairpin banksia | Banksia spinulosa | Leaves, flower stamens | 3m+ | E | ||
Paperbark / Cajeput tree | Melaleuca leucadendron | Leaves, flowers | 10m+ | E | ||
Teatree | Leptospermum | Leaves, flower stamens | 3m+ | E | ||
Weeping fig / Benjamin fig | Ficus benjamina | Leaves, seeds | 20m+ | E |
Medium Leaves
Medium leaves are 20mm to 50mm wide. They may grow from 50mm to 120mm in length. Gutter mesh with a 2mm or 4mm aperture is ideal for keeping most medium leaves out of your gutters so you can significantly reduce gutter maintenance.
Common name | Botanical name | Problem part/s | Tree height | Evergreen / Deciduous | Image | |
Tulipwood | Harpullia pendula | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 8m | E | ||
Hill fig / Weeping fig | Ficus hillii | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 15m+ | E | ||
Queensland blue gum | Eucalyptus tereticornis | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 25m+ | E | ||
Lemon scented myrtle | Backhousia citriodora | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 6m | E | ||
White oak / Brown silky oak | Grevillea baileyana | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 10m | E | ||
Coast banksia | Banksia integrifolia | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 25m+ | E | ||
Trumpet tree | Tabebuia | Leaves, flowers | 6m-8m | E | ||
Silky oak | Grevillea robusta | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 14m | E |
Large Leaves
With widths of 70mm to 150mm, large leaves can grow up to 450mm in length – and sometimes even more. Gutter mesh with a 2mm, 4mm or 5.4mm aperture is all appropriate for keeping most large leaves out of your gutters.
Common name | Botanical name | Problem part/s | Tree height | Evergreen / Deciduous | Image | |
Maple / Japanese maple | Acer palmatum / Acer japonicum | Leaves | 6m+ | E | ||
Port Jackson fig / Rusty fig | Ficus rubiginosa | Leaves, berries | 30m | E | ||
Alexander palm | Archontophoenix alexandrae | Leaves, seeds, flowers | 15m+ | E | ||
Bangalow palm | Archontophoenix cunninghamiana | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 20m+ | E | ||
Brush box | Lophostemon confertus | Leaflets, seeds, flowers | 10m-20m | E | ||
Magnolia little gem | Magnolia grandiflora | Leaves | 4m+ | E | ||
Sweet viburnum | Viburnum odoratissimum | Leaves, flowers | 4m+ | E |
So does gutter mesh.
That’s why you’ll hear us say again and again that it’s imperative you match your mesh to the size of the vegetation in your area. If you don’t, you risk choosing a mesh that will let leaves through and into your gutters. And that’s just as bad as having no mesh at all.
Of course, unless you’re a botanist, chances are you aren’t intimately familiar with the size of the leaves on different trees and bushes.
So to help you out, we’ve put together this article laying out the size of leaves, petals & foliage on a range of trees commonly found across Australia.
Needles
Needle-like leaves are 1mm or less in width. They vary considerable in length, but it’s their width that makes them a challenge when choosing the right gutter mesh for your property.
2mm and 4mm aperture gutter mesh will keep out most needle-like leaves. However, some needles may get through the mesh. Additional maintenance is therefore required for properties with windblown needles or overhanging trees that drop needles.
Common name: Pine tree (a collective term)
Botanical name: Conifers / Pinus (cone-bearing plants) Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 3m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
|
Common name: Sheoak
Botanical name: Allocasuarina / Casuarina Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 8-18m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
|
Common name: Bottlebrush
Botanical name: Callistemon Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 4-7m Evergreen / Deciduous:E |
|
Common name: Paperbark
Botanical name: Melaleuca quinquenervia Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 5-12m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
|
Common name: Wattle
Botanical name: Acacia Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 4-5m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
|
Common name: Heath banksia
Botanical name: Banksia ericifolia Problem part/s: Needle leaves, flower stamens Tree height: 5m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
Small Leaves
Small leaves can be between 2mm and 20mm in width. Some grow up to 50mm in length.
2mm aperture mesh is recommended to keep most small leaves out of your gutters and minimise the need for gutter maintenance.
Common name: Poinciana
Botanical name: Poinciana delonix regia Problem part/s: Leaves, flower stamens Tree height: 12m Evergreen / Deciduous: D |
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Common name: Jacaranda
Botanical name: Jacaranda mimosifolia Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 15m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: D |
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Common name: Golden rain tree
Botanical name: Koelreuteria paniculata Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 7m Evergreen / Deciduous: D |
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Common name: Pride of Bolivia / Rosewood / Yellow jacaranda
Botanical name: Tipuana tipu Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 30m Evergreen / Deciduous: D |
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Common name: Black peppermint / Peppermint willow
Botanical name: Eucalyptus nicholii Problem part/s: Leaves, flower stamens Tree height: 15m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Mock orange / Orange jessamine
Botanical name: Murraya paniculata Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 3m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Small leafed figs
Botanical name: Ficus obliqua Problem part/s: Leaves, berries Tree height: 10-30m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Golden shower tree
Botanical name: Cassia fistula Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 5m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Hairpin banksia
Botanical name: Banksia spinulosa Problem part/s: Leaves, flower stamens Tree height: 3m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Paperbark / Cajeput tree
Botanical name: Melaleuca leucadendron Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 10m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Teatree
Botanical name: Leptospermum Problem part/s: Leaves, flower stamens Tree height: 3m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Weeping fig / Benjamin fig
Botanical name: Ficus benjamina Problem part/s: Leaves, seeds Tree height: 20m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
Medium Leaves
Medium leaves are 20mm to 50mm wide. They may grow from 50mm to 120mm in length. Gutter mesh with a 2mm or 4mm aperture is ideal for keeping most medium leaves out of your gutters so you can significantly reduce gutter maintenance.
Common name: Tulipwood
Botanical name: Harpullia pendula Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 8m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Hill fig / Weeping fig
Botanical name: Ficus hillii Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 15m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Queensland blue gum
Botanical name: Eucalyptus tereticornis Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 25m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Lemon scented myrtle
Botanical name: Backhousia citriodora Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 6m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: White oak / Brown silky oak
Botanical name: Grevillea baileyana Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 10m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Coast banksia
Botanical name: Banksia integrifolia Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 25m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Trumpet tree
Botanical name: Tabebuia Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 6m-8m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Silky oak
Botanical name: Grevillea robusta Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 14m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
Large Leaves
With widths of 70mm to 150mm, large leaves can grow up to 450mm in length – and sometimes even more. Gutter mesh with a 2mm, 4mm or 5.4mm aperture is all appropriate for keeping most large leaves out of your gutters.
Common name: Maple / Japanese maple
Botanical name: Acer palmatum / Acer japonicum Problem part/s: Leaves Tree height: 6m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Port Jackson fig / Rusty fig
Botanical name: Ficus rubiginosa Problem part/s: Leaves, berries Tree height: 30m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Alexander palm
Botanical name: Archontophoenix alexandrae Problem part/s: Leaves, seeds, flowers Tree height: 15m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Bangalow palm
Botanical name: Archontophoenix cunninghamiana Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 20m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Brush box
Botanical name: Lophostemon confertus Problem part/s: Leaflets, seeds, flowers Tree height: 10m-20m Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Magnolia little gem
Botanical name: Magnolia grandiflora Problem part/s: Leaves Tree height: 4m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |
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Common name: Sweet viburnum
Botanical name: Viburnum odoratissimum Problem part/s: Leaves, flowers Tree height: 4m+ Evergreen / Deciduous: E |