Common Name:

General Information

Eucalyptus blakelyi is an evergreen tree growing 15 - 25 metres tall; with a good lower bole and the depth of the crown at least half the height of the tree[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for mainly local use as a medicine and source of materials

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Australia - Victoria, New South Wales, southern Queensland

Habitat

Woodland and open forest[]. Widespread and abundant, in grassy woodlands on various usually moderately fertile soils[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus blakelyi is native to the warm temperate and subtropical climates of easterm Australia, where it is found at elevations from 150 - 1,000 metres. Summers are warm and moist, whilst winters are cool and often with some rain - fairly long droughts occur periodically. The mean annual rainfall is within the range 450 - 750mm; mean maximum of the hottest month is 26 - 32°c; mean minimum of the coldest month is 3 - 4°c, and there are generally around 5 - 50 frosts a year[]. Young plants are reported to have survived temperatures falling to around -7°c for short periods[].
Eucalyptus species generally require a sunny position, succeeding in a wide range of well-drained, circumneutral soils of low to moderate fertility[]. This species is found in the wild mainly on compact loarns of moderately good quality[].
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[].
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

Kino resin is 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[].

Agroforestry Uses:

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

Other Uses

A kino resin is obtained from the trunk[]. Kino resins are rich in tannins and are very astringent. They can be used medicinally, in tanning, as well as for preserving and dyeing natural fibres. 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.

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 2.1% essential oil. The main component is -,8-cineole (around 60 - 67%)[].

The wood is pinkish to reddish brown with an interlocked grain. It is durable to very durable, with a density of 980 kilos per cubic metre. It is used for farm purposes and is rarely milled though is frequently split for posts[, ].
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[].