Common Name:

General Information

Corymbia calophylla is an evergreen tree with a dense, heavy crown; it usually grows 30 - 40 metres tall, occasionally reaching 60 metres, though on poor sites it can end up as a multi-stemmed shrub no more than 5 metres tall. The bole is straight and cylindrical, around half the total height of the tree, and can be up to 150cm in diameter[, ].
The wood is harvested from the wild for local use. This species forms the basis of an export woodchip industry in Western Australia[]

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - western and southwestern Western Australia

Habitat

Tall, open forests on slopes and plains, succeeding on poor soils but making a better tree on the alluvial soils between laterite-capped ridges; at elevations up to 300 metres[, ].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Corymbia calophylla 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. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 625 - 1,200mm; mean maximum of the hottest month is 24 - 29°c; mean minimum of the coldest month is 4 - 7°c, and there are generally around 1 - 15 frosts a year[]. 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 range of light to medium-textured, well-drained soils of low to moderate fertility[]. 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[].
This species is resistant to the insidious pathogen Phytophthora cinnamoni[].
There is a pink-flowered form which is attractive, but the related E. ficifolia is a better ornamental, particularly as a street tree[].
Excellent growth is reported in Hawaii where the species has few gum veins and does not give serious growth stress problems as a sawtimber. It has been successfully established in many countries but is rarely used commercially[].
Corymbia 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

Kino resin, if it is produced, is very astringent. Diluted, it can be taken internally as an effective treatment for dysentery, working because it is not absorbed at all from the stomach and only very slowly from the intestine, and is thus able to directly treat the lower part of the intestine. It can be used as a gargle and mouthwash to treat relaxed throat, loose teeth[, ].
Applied externally as a wash, it is an effective styptic and can used to treat cuts and skin problems[].

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 0.3 - 0.5% (% dry weight) essential oil. The main components include pinene (up to 51% in some forms)cymene, terpinene[].

A kino resin is obtained from the trunk. Kino resins are rich in tannins and are very astringent. Soluble in water, they can be used medicinally; in tanning; as well as for preserving and dyeing natural fibres. When boiled in an iron pot they produce a thick, dark liquid that can be used as an ink[].
The resin oozes naturally from wounds in the trunk and can be tapped by making incisions in the bark. At first it is a thick liquid, but soon hardens upon exposure to the air and sun, typically drying to an amber-like material that consists of dark red angular fragments, rarely larger than a pea. Freshly exuded kino is more effective than kino that has been on the tree for a long while, since the soluble portion can be more or less washed out and the action of the sun can alter their chemical composition[].

The pale yellow to light brown heartwood is hard, strong and durable. It does not split easily. The wood is used for weatherboards, scantlings, case manufacture, tool handles, sporting goods, fence posts, piles etc, though it is spoiled as a commercial saw-timber by frequent kino pockets. It is valuable as a woodchip timber[, ].

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[].