Eucalypts gain popularity

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33448, 1 February 1974, Page 19

Eucalypts gain popularity

Not so long ago the Forestry Department and farmers were the only concerns interested in planting and using eucalypts (gum trees). There was little demand for any but a few species for landscape purposes and they created even less attention with the average gardener. But today, with the greatler range available, the euIcalyptus has at last been I recognised. | There are hundreds of I species and hybrids but only la comparative few are geni erally available at present. As their hardiness and suitability becomes better known a greater selection will be offered.

Eucalypts vary immensely in their characteristics, such as habits of growth, bark, size and colour of inflorescence and their foliage. Discussion here will centre around those with glaucous — silver-blue — foliage. SILVER DOLLAR GUM Eucalyptus cinerea is well known in New Zealand as the silver dollar gum, and less so as Argyle apple. It is a glaucous medium-sized tree whose botanical name means “ash coloured”. The juvenile leaves are opposite, paired, stemless or virtually so, and ovate. They are generally superceded by adult foliage, which becomes long and narrow, with a mealier appearance. The flowers are cream to yellow and they appear in summer.

Eucalyptus perriniana, the Spinning Gum, is popular with many gardeners. Unfortunately its habit of leaf change from the perfoliate juvenile state to a lanceolate form causes despair among growers not familiar with this natural change. As the young leaves die, many become detached from the stem and form discs which are rotated by the wind, hence the common name. The flowers are very small, white to cream. The tree de-

velops to a good medium height and is very hardy.

Eucalyptus gunni is a fairly fast-growing medlum-to-large tree which, for a reason yet to be discovered, goes by the common name of cider gum. It has a very smooth almost white deciduous bark. The young leaves are sessile, opposite, almost round and very glaucous; the adult leaves are alternate lanceolate to ovate and similar in colour to the juvenile form. It is highly regarded as a shade

and shelter tree in ‘Australia

and can be considered equally good as a large ornamental specimen. Eucalyptus tetragona is frequently regarded as a mallee, as it is often found growing as a multiplestemmed specimen in its natural habitat of some Western Australian coastal areas. It is distinguished by its square stems, glaucous, thick, mealy white leaves and hemispherical buds. The flowers are white. This gum grows into a small ornamental tree ideal for coastal areas and warmer places where only light frosts are experienced. Eucalyptus crucis was discovered near the Western Australian town of Southern Cross — hence crucis, meaning a cross. It is commonly called Southern Cross mallee and silver mallee. It is an attractive comparatively slow-growing small tree or mallee with smooth red bark. The leaves are almost heart-shaped in the juvenile state, but somewhat lanceolate in the adult form, with very glaucous stems, buds and fruits, and creamy white [flowers which appear from late spring to early summer. Eucalyptus macrocarpa is one of the most spectacular and largest flowered of all [ the Eucalypt species. Variously known as blue bush,; desert mallee, and mottlecah (large fruited), it grows into; a small, rather straggly; shrub or mallee of a very glaucous nature. The crimson flowers, which generally appear singly (or rarely in pairs), may be as big as five inches in diameter and appear at any time, although the main flowering, period is from winter to 1

spring. Like many of the smaller more brilliant flowering eucalypts, it will withstand no more than light frosts particularly when young.