What do Eucalypts look like?
Eucalypts come in a great range of shapes and sizes – from tall trees to small shrubs. Eucalypts are a dominant part of the Australian flora. Eucalypts range across Australia – the only landscape they are completely absent from is the high alpine areas, though they are scarce in rainforests and in the arid interior of the continent, except where they find refuge along streams and in isolated ranges.
Unless they are flowering, it can be hard to tell one species from another as they have very similar looking leaves and trunks. Many species also have white flowers that can also be hard to tell apart but in southern Western Australia, many gums have brightly coloured diverse flowers in pink, red and orange.
Where are Eucalypts found?
Their range extends from sub-alpine areas to wet coastal forests, temperate woodlands and the arid inland. In fact, the only major environment where eucalypts are absent is probably rainforest.
Fast facts:
- Eucalypts are commonly known as gum trees and are an iconic Australian tree. There are almost 900 species growing across Australia.
- Eucalypts have oil glands in their leaves, giving many species their distinctive smell. The oil has been used for many hundreds of years by Aboriginal people for healing wounds and is today a popular remedy for colds, allergies, respiratory disorders, burns and cuts to name just a few.
Eucalypts
Eucalypts are commonly known as gum trees and are an iconic Australian tree. There are almost 900 species growing across Australia.
These tall trees provide food and shelter for many birds, insects, and mammals. They also provide hollows for cockatoos, parrots, gliders, possums and other buddies to nest and shelter in. It can take up to 100 years or more for eucalypts to develop tree hollows, so avoid removing any from your place if you can help it.
Unless they are flowering, it can be hard to tell one species from another as they have very similar looking leaves and trunks. Many species also have white flowers that can also be hard to tell apart but in southern Western Australia, many gums have brightly coloured diverse flowers in pink, red and orange.
Gumnuts are a feature of all eucalypts and are a favourite food of rosellas, cockatoos, galahs, parrots and even native cockroaches! Nectar loving birds and bees are also frequent visitors to eucalyptus trees. The types of bird will depend on the type of tree.
Eucalypts shed a layer of bark each year, revealing a smooth new bark which gradually weathers and fades in colour. Many species get their common names from the bark, such as greygum, redgum, stringybark and ironbark. Maybe the most unique of these is the Scribbly Gum, with zigzag marks across the trunk that look like pen scribbles. It is caused by the larvae of the scribbly moth which is actually harmless to the tree. Many other gums host scribbly moths but only the Scribbly Gum has such prominent markings.
Eucalypts have oil glands in their leaves, giving many species their distinctive smell. The oil has been used for many hundreds of years by Aboriginal people for healing wounds and is today a popular remedy for colds, allergies, respiratory disorders, burns and cuts to name just a few.
The most well-known consumer of eucalyptus leaves is of course the koala. Gum trees are their primary food source and also their home. Koala habitat is in tall open eucalypt forests where they will spend their entire lives. Clearing and development of eucalypts has put enormous pressure on the conservation of koala populations as they rarely survive relocation and are very stressed by dispersal of their social groups.
The Greater Glider and Ringtail Possum also feed on eucalyptus leaves, and when other food is scarce, they can live solely on the leaves for extended periods.
