Common Name: Peppermint Box

General Information

Eucalyptus odorata is an evergreen, multi-stemmed shrub or a small tree growing up to 7 metres tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - eastern South Australia, western Victoria

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus odorata is native to the Mediterranean and warm temperate climate of Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 600 metres. Rainfall occurs mainly in the winter, with a mean annual rainfall within the range 375 - 750mm. There are generally around 5 - 15 frosts a year[].
Eucalyptus species generally require a sunny position, succeeding in a wide range of well-drained, circumneutral soils of low to moderate fertility[].
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[].
The crushed leaves have a sweet aroma[].
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, if it is produced, is very astringent. Diluted, it can be 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. It can be used as a gargle and mouthwash to treat relaxed throat, loose teeth[, ].
Applied externally as a wash, it is an effective styptic and can used to treat cuts and skin problems[].

Other Uses

An essential oil rich in cineole is obtained from the leaves[]. The leaves contain around 1.9% essenial oil, of which up to 83% is 1,8-cineole[].

A small quantity of kino resin is obtained from the trunk. Kino resins are rich in tannins and are very astringent. Soluble in water, they can be used medicinally; in tanning; as well as for preserving and dyeing natural fibres. When boiled in an iron pot they produce a thick, dark liquid that can be used as an ink[].
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. Freshly exuded kino is more effective than kino that has been on the tree for a long while, since the soluble portion can be more or less washed out and the action of the sun can alter their chemical composition[].

The light brown coloured wood is close, fine and straight-grained. It very hard, durable, and considered of fair quality though never attains large dimensions. It has been used for such purposes as naves, felloes, rails, slabs and fence 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[].