Common Name: Brown Bloodwood

General Information

Corymbia trachyphloia is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - northern New South Wales, Queensland

Habitat

Locally abundant but sporadic, in dry sclerophyll woodland on shallow infertile soils on sandstone, granite or acid volcanics[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Corymbia trachyphloia is native to the warm temperate to tropical climate of eastern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 300 metres. Rainfall occurs mainly in the summer, with a mean annual rainfall within the range 500 - 1,000mm. There can be up to 15 frosts a year in the south of its range[].
Corymbia species generally require a sunny position, succeeding in a wide range of well-drained, circumneutral soils of low to moderate fertility[].
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[]. The plant also develops new growth from rhizomes[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Kino resin, obtained from the trunk, 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 and pollen for bees[].

Other Uses

A small quantity of 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% (0.2% dry weight) essential oil. The main components are pinene, aromadendrene[].

We have no details on quantities, bu a kino resin is found 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 light-coloured wood is open-grained, of moderate strength and durability. It is used in construction, as sawnwood, mining timber, fencing, but has many gum veins[, ].
The wood is used for fuel[, ].

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[]. Seeds can be maintained for several years in hermitic storage at 3°c, with 6 - 10% moisture content[].