Common Name: Jarrah

General Information

Eucalyptus marginata is an evegreen tree with a thin, relatively open crown; it can grow 30 - 40 metres tall. The bole is straight and cylindrical, about half of the total height of the tree, and can be up to 200cm in diameter[, ].
One of the most important hardwood timbers in Australia, it is harvested in quantity from the wild and is also cultivated[]..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - southwestern Western Australia

Habitat

Usually forming forest or woodland on gravelly soils, but sometimes also on sands or loams; at elevations from 100 - 300 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus marginata is native to the Mediterranean climate of southwestern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 300 metres. Summers are hot and dry, with most rainfall occurring in the winter months and a dry season of around 4 months. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 625 - 1,250mm; mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 24 - 26°c; mean minimum temperature of the coldest month is 5°c, frosts are generally few and light[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -5°c, but young growth is more tender and can be severely damaged at 0°c[].
Requires a sunny position, succeeding in a medium-textured, well-drained soil of low to moderate fertility[]. Found in the wild on latente cappings, gravels and sands[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 7[].
The plant develops a lignotuber - this is a woody tuber that starts to develop near the base of seedlings and can become massive in the mature plants of some species. It possesses embedded vegetative buds, allowing the plant to regenerate following crown destruction, for example by fire[].
Probably still the most important sawtimber in Australia. It has provided a good forest on a difficult laterite capping[].
Unfortunately, this species is threatened by the insidious root pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi and its future is unsure[].
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

Agroforestry Uses:

The flowers are a good source of nectar for bees[].

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 0.2 - 1.3% essential oil. The main components include pinene, cymene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, menthyl acetate, cryptone and spathulenol[].

The dark red to reddish brown heartwood is coarse-textured, hard, strong, durable and termite resistant. It is used for heavy construction, either in the round or sawn, piling, sleepers, ship building and bridge and wharf construction, as well as for all purposes in house construction, including beams, rafters and flooring. The wood finishes well and is used for the manufacture of high quality furniture[].

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[].