Common Name: Yellow Stringybark

General Information

Eucalyptus muelleriana is an evergreen tree with a well-developed crown; it usualy grows 30 - 40 metres tall, occasionally to 55 metres. The straight bole can be more than half the total height of the tree and up to 120cm in diameter[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local and commercial use of its wood. It has been planted for timber in Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and South Africa[].
Eucalyptus muelleriana has the potential to become a weed outside its native range. It escaped from cultivation in Western Australia and become naturalised there[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - Victoria, New South Wales.

Habitat

Wet forest on coastal ranges and escarpments, usually on somewhat poorer or shallower soils[]. Sheltered slopes and valleys, growing on a wide range of soils; at elevations up to 600 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus muelleriana is native to the warm temperate climate of southeastern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 600 metres[]. It is also being successfully cultivated at moderate elevations in the tropics of Africa[]. Rainfall can occur all year round, with a mean annual rainfall within the range 750 - 1,200mm and a mild dry season of up to 3 months. The mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 25 - 27°c; mean minimum temperature of the coldest month is 5°c, and there are generally up to 20 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 -1°c[].
Requires a sunny position, succeeding in a wide range of well-drained soils of high fertility[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 7[].
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[].
A good planting species which handles well as a forest. It has done very well when planted in Western Australia in the karri country, and is also growing well in New Zealand and in South Africa[].
Whilst most Eucalyptus species, grown in small numbers outside their native range, can be an attractive and useful addition to the landscape, certain species (including this one) are more problematic. When grown in monocultures, especially outside their native range, they can become an environmental disaster. They are voracious, especially in their use of water; they are allelopathic, inhibiting the growth of the native flora; they reduce habitats for native fauna; and encourage the worst possible attitudes to land use and conservation[].
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

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% essential oil. The main components include pinene and geranyl acetate[].

The heartwood is light yellow-brown with pink tinge; the sapwood is pale brown. The texture is moderately coarse. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, durable and termite resistant. It is used for general construction, wharves, poles, piles, posts and railway sleepers[, , ].

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[].