Common Name: Brown Mallet

General Information

Eucalyptus astringens is an evergreen, multi-stemmed shrub or a tree with a well-developed crown; it usually grows from 10 - 15 metres tall, occasionally reaching 25 metres. The bole is usually straight, up to half the total height of the tree, though is often rather short; it is up to 70cm in diameter[, , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild as a source of materials. It has been successfully trialled in several countries as a plantation crop for wood but it is little used in cultivation[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - southwestern Western Australia

Habitat

Low stony hills and the sides of low, flat-topped hills on soils of sandy loam or clay loams; at elevations from 300 - 400 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus astringens is native to the Mediterranean climate of southwestern Australia, where it is found at elevations from 300 - 400 metres. Summers are hot with a dry season of 6 - 7 months, most rainfall occurs in the winter months. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 350 - 550mm (with absolute extremes of 268 - 741mm); mean maximum of the hottest month is 35°c; mean minimum of the coldest month is 2 - 4°c, and there are generally around 7 - 10 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 well-drained soils of low to moderate fertility[]. Tolerant of clay soils, but susceptible to highly calcareous soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[].
The high quality of the wood and the tannin content of the bark are attractive features; the rate of growth is fair for the rainfall to which it is suited, but it is a non-lignotuberous eucalypt and a weak coppicing species, which makes it unattractive for coppice plantations[].
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

The bark contains 40 - 57% tannin[, ].

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 0.9 - 1.7% (0.5 - 2.9% dry weight) essential oil. The main components include 1,8-cineole, pinene, aromadendrene, limonene[].

The heartwood is light red-brown to dark grey-brown with reddish streaks. It is fine-textured, with a straight or interlocked grain. The wood is very hard, strong, very tough and moderately durable. It machines readily. The wood is used for axe and hammer handles and also as a mine timber[, , ].
The wood is an excellent 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[].