Common Name: Swamp Gum

General Information

Eucalyptus ovata is an evergreen tree with a spreading crown; it usually grows up to 25 metres tall, though some specimens in northwestern Tasmania grow larger. The bole is usually straight[].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of materials. An adaptable plant, it has potential for commercial production.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales

Habitat

Often found in swampy ground and valley bottoms[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus ovata is native to the temperate climate of southeastern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 760 metres. Rainfall occurs mainly in the winter, with a mean annual rainfall within the range 500 - 1,000mm and a non-severe dry season of up to 3 months. The mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 18 - 24°c; mean minimum temperature of the coldest month is 0 - 7°c, and there are generally around 5 - 90 frosts a year[].
The species grows on a wide variety of sites; it can tolerate sites which are inundated for appreciable periods and yet also grow on dry, well-drained slopes. In the regions of its natural occurrence it is a good frost hollow species[].
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 valuable amenity species for providing shade and shelter on cool, wet sites[].
Success as an industrial coppice crop is still to be proved, and the best provenances chosen. The species has the desirable character that logs can be barked easily in the forest during droughty periods which make the bark of other species very tight[].

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 0.2 - 3.9% (dry weight) essential oil. The main components include 1,8-cineole, pinene, phellandrene, limonene[].

The pale-coloured wood is not durable. It is not used extensively in Australia but is useful for farm purposes; some
is sawn[].

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[].