Common Name:

General Information

Eucalyptus diversicolor is an evergreen tree with a wide-spreading, heavy crown; it usually grows up to 50 - 60 metres tall. With occasional specimens to 85 metres The bole is long and straight, up to 65% of the total height of the tree, and 150 - 300cm in diameter[, ].
Harvested in quantity from the wild, this species is an important Western Australian sawnwood for local use and also for export to other Australian States and overseas[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - southwestern South Australia

Habitat

Forming closed forests on undulating to hilly country, at hill slopes, ridges and in valleys; at elevations up to 300 metres[, ].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	45.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus diversicolor is native to the Mediterranean climate of southwestern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 300 metres. Summers are warm to hot with a dry season of up to 3 months, most rainfall occurs in the winter months. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 1,100 - 1,500mm; mean maximum of the hottest month is 27°c; mean minimum of the coldest month is 8°c, frosts are few and light[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -4°c, but young growth is more tender and can be severely damaged at 0°c[].
Requires a sunny position, succeeding in a range of light to medium-textured, well-drained soils of low to moderate fertility[]. Found in the wild on sandy and sandy loam soils low in nutritive value and deficient in trace elements such as zinc, copper and cobalt[]. Prefers a pH in the range.5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[].
This species requires a winter rainfall and a nearly frost-free locality in order to do well. There are few places in the world with planting land with these qualities, however the tree has proved to be excellent in the Knysna area of South Africa as a plantation species used largely for tool handles. It is also a very good park tree in the North Island of New Zealand[].
The tree produces epicormic buds up the stem, and can resprout from these if the top is damaged by fire or other means[].
Eucalyptus species have not adopted a deciduous habit and continue to grow until it is too cold for them to do so. This makes them more susceptible to damage from sudden cold snaps. If temperature fluctuations are more gradual, as in a woodland for example, the plants have the opportunity to stop growing and become dormant, thus making them more cold resistant. A deep mulch around the roots to prevent the soil from freezing also helps the trees to survive cold conditions[]. Many members of this genus are remarkably adaptable however, and there can be a dramatic increase in the hardiness of subsequent generations from the seed of survivors growing in temperate zones[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves. Total quantity of the oil, and its composition, can vary widely from plant to plant, but we have reports that the fresh leaves contain around 0.8 - 1.1% essential oil. The main components include pinene, 1,8-cineole (around 18%), terpineol (around 11%), butyl butyrate, (18), trans-pinocarveol (around 18%)[].

The red wood is hard, heavy, strong, tough, moderately durable, with a density of 900 kg/m3. It is an important Western Australian sawnwood, also acceptable as a pulpwood[]. The wood is used for building timber, flooring and guides or sliding beams in mines. Very large lengths are available. It is used for plywood which is especially favoured for concrete formwork and truck flooring and also used in the pulp and paper industry[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow late winter/early spring in a sunny position in a greenhouse[, , ]. Species that come from high altitudes appreciate 6 - 8 weeks cold stratification at 2°c[]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as the second set of seed leaves has developed, if left longer than this they might not move well. Plant out into their permanent positions in early summer and give them some protection from the cold in their first winter. The seed can also be sown in early summer, the young trees being planted in their final positions in late spring of the following year. The seed has a long viability[].