Common Name:

General Information

Eucalyptus gomphocephala is an evergreen tree with a dense, heavy crown with wide-spreading branches; it can grow 10 - 45 metres tall. The bole is generally shortish, rarely more than half the total height of the tree and can be 100 - 230cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and commercially. It has a high potential as a timber and fuel crop in arid areas - promising results have been obtained in trials or pilot plantations in Ethiopia, Greece, Italy, Turkey and Uruguay.[]. The tree has been planted to stabilize dunes, to provide shelter from winds and also as a street tree.
This species has become locally naturalized outside its native range in southern Australia and is viewed as a potential environmental weed, posing a risk to lowland grassland and associated woodlands in Victoria[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - southwestern Western Australia

Habitat

Sany plains and undulating country near the coast; at elevations up to 30 metres[, ].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus gomphocephala is native to the Mediterranean climate of southwestern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 30 metres. Summers are hot and dry, with most rainfall occurring in the winter months, there can be a dry season of 4 - 5 months. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 750 - 1,000mm; mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 25 - 29°c; mean minimum temperature 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 -4°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[]. Tolerant of moderately saline soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 9[]. Tolerant of salt-laden winds[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
Trees produce epicormic buds along the main trunk and respond well to coppicing. For firewood production, rotations of 7 - 10 years are used[, ].
A maximum annual wood production of 44 cubic metres per hectare has been obtained on irrigated fertile soils in Morocco. On more normal sites, annual productions of 6 - 15 cubic metres per hectare are typical[].
The tree is a popular introduction in many countries on sands or sandy loams with a high percentage of lime or with a limestone parent material[].
This species has proved outstanding for planting in winter-rainfall conditions on calcareous soils on which some other species such as Eucalyptus carnaldulensis become chlorotic. It has shown considerable plasticity in acclimatization to drier conditions than occur within its natural range, but should not be planted in situations which are too cold (absolute minimum less than 4°c) or which suffer from extreme aridity (rainfall less than 300mm) Its tolerance of dry soils is due to its rooting system which combines a deep taproot (to depth of 3 metres if the water table is that deep) and extensive surface rooting up to a radius of 8 - 12 metres. The taproot absorbs moisture from the deeper soil layers during the dry season, while the surface roots make possible an immediate use of the first rains in winter. The species is wind-firm and hence suitable for planting as a windbreak. It is easy to raise in the nursery and regenerates readily from coppice, but it is frequently crooked or forked, especially during the first (seedling) rotation[].
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

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree has been used successfully for the stabilization of sand dunes in a number of countries; it performs better on the inland dunes than on the most exposed coastal dunes[].
The species is wind-firm and is also planted widely for environmental purposes, e.g., for stabilization of sand dunes, for windbreaks, for soil protection and as avenue and shade trees[].
The flowers are a good source of nectar for bees[].

Other Uses

The wood is rich in tannin (7%).[].

The yellowish wood is close-textured with interlocked grain; very hard, tough, strong and durable. Because of short supply, use in Australia is mainly restricted to railway carriage constuction, boat building, for keelsons, stern ports, bridge supports and formerly for wheelwright work. A feature of the wood is its lack of corrosive effect on metal
objects such as bolts or spikes; wood not liable to collapse. Sawnwood is used for flooring blocks (Cyprus) and for boxwood, framing timber, etc. (Israel, Morocco). Smaller material is used for particle and fibreboard and for agricultural use as fenceposts and stakes[, ].
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[].