Tree 7

Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Rosea’

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Quick Facts

Genus: Eucalyptus

Species: leucoxylon ‘Rosea’

Common Names: Dwarf Yellow Gum

Mature Size: 8-12metres
Height: 8 metres
Width: 9.6 metres
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH@1.4m): 43 +48cm (2 stems)= 64cm

Age of Tree: Mature, this tree has reached its expected height in this position.

Place of Origin: Hybrid from south eastern Australia; there are a number of naturally occurring hybrids of this type of tree and a large number of cultivars; due to its strong red flower colour and prolific flower production.

Plant Habit: Short single trunk that quickly develops into a spreading rounded canopy.

Growth Habit: Medium when young, slowing as it quickly ages.

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Story

Most people view all Eucalyptus trees are large trees that shed branches. Of the 850 known species of Eucalyptus trees, more than 55% are small trees of less than 10metres in height including this dwarf variety.

Many have a ‘lignotuber’, a structure below ground level where dormant buds and energy are stored. This structure would then produce shoots after a fire or severe drought, to regrow a new and healthy tree.

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Horticultural Information

Preferred Conditions: Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions; though not tolerant of prolonged saturated soils.

Suits a wide range of soil types, including soils of low nutrient levels.

Tolerant of drought, though this can sometimes result in an infestation of wood boring insects (longicorn beetle); these can have an adverse impact on the health of infected trees.

Useful Life Expectancy (ULE): Medium (60-80 years), though shorter when infected with ‘longicorn beetle’ (wood boring insect).

Significance: An attractive tree that is suitable to a confined space and can tolerate a wide range of conditions.

Flowering Characteristics: Strong flower habit, its clusters of red coloured flowers appear from April through to August, attractive a wide range of native birds to feast on them.

Features: Bark is coarse and fibrous at the base, brown – grey in colour, it decorts to reveal smooth bark on upper trunk and scaffold branches.

The exposed bark is white to cream and some pink to grey colour as it ages.

Foliage: leaves are lanceolate in shape of a dark green to grey blue colour and up to 20mm in length and are pendulous. Buds are in 3’s, hanging from long stems (peduncle); fruit develop to be large woody fruit in shape of pendulous wine glass.

Points of Interest: Prolific flowering habit, modest size to suit a small to modest garden, while attracting a wide range of native birds; bringing colour and movement to a garden.

Additional Notes

There are many hybrids and subspecies of this tree; some hybrids have larger flowers, others stronger flower colour or deeper shades of red colouring. All are strong bird attractive trees.

The wood of this tree is very hard and durable; sometimes used for fencing, it also makes good fire wood; this it can be hard to split in older trees.

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