Common Name: Black Box

General Information

Eucalyptus bicolor is an evergreen tree with an open crown; it can grow 10 - 20 metres tall. The bole is often of poor form, usually less than half the total height of the tree and with a diameter up to 100cm[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Australia - South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland

Habitat

Grassy woodland along river flats that are dry in summer and inundated in the winter, usually growing on heavy clay or clay loams with poor drainage in areas with low rainfall and high summer temperatures[, , ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus bicolor is native to the semi-arid and arid climate of eastern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 300 metres. Summers can be very hot, there can be some rain though most rainfall occurs in the winter months. A dry season of up to 7 months can be very severe. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 250 - 400mm; mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 38°c; mean minimum temperature of the coldest month is 5°c, and there are generally around 5 frosts a year[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -7°c, but young growth is more tender and can be severely damaged at -1°c[].
Prefers a sunny position in a moderately fertile well-drained moisture retentive circum-neutral soil[]. Tolerates poor and dry soils, especially those low in mineral elements[]. A drought tolerant plant once established, it can also tolerate seasonal inundation of the soil[, ], it succeeds in limestone soils and tolerates moderately saline soils[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 - 7.5, tolerating 6.5 - 8.5[].
One report says that this species resists frost[], whilst another suggests that it is in zone 10 which is not frost hardy[]. Plants obtained from the colder provenances of its range might succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of Britain.
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[].
Annual wood production potential is 7 - 9 cubic metres per hectare[].
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[].
A slow growing tree[].
Plants are shallow-rooting and, especially in windy areas, should be planted out into their permanent positions when small to ensure that they do not suffer from wind-rock[]. They strongly resent root disturbance and should be container grown before planting out into their permanent position[].

Edible Uses

Seed - soaked for a couple of hours in several changes of water and then dried and ground into a meal which is eaten raw[]. The seed is very small - there are over 700 to a gram[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The flowers are rich in nectar and are a good bee forage[].

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 0.9% (0.9% dry weight) essential oil. The main component is 1,8-cineole (around 40%)[].

The pink or reddish brown wood is heavy, hard tough, strong and very durable; with a density of 1,000 kg/m3.
An excellent timber, it is used as house-blocks, sleepers, posts and farm purposes etc[, , , , ].
Useful as 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[].