Common Name: Snappy Gum

General Information

Eucalyptus racemosa is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - eastern New South Wales, southeastern Queensland

Habitat

Locally frequent, in dry sclerophyll woodland on shallow infertile sandy soil on sandstone, usually near the coast[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus racemosa is native to the warm temperate and subtropical climate of eastern Australia.
Prefers a sunny position in a moderately fertile well-drained moisture retentive circum-neutral soil[]. Tolerates poor and dry soils, especially those low in mineral elements[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
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[].
Plants are shallow-rooting and, especially in windy areas, should be planted out into their permanent positions when small to ensure that they do not suffer from wind-rock[]. They strongly resent root disturbance and should be container grown before planting out into their permanent position[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A kino resin is exuded from the tree[]. It can also be obtained from the tree by making incisions in the trunk[, ]. This resin contains tannin and is powerfully astringent, it is used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and bladder inflammation[, , ], Kino 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[].
Applied externally, the resin is used to treat cuts, sores etc[, ].

Agroforestry Uses:

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

Other Uses

A kino resin is obtained from the trunk. It is used medicinally[]. 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.

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[].