Common Name: Red Mahogany

General Information

Eucalyptus resinifera is an evergreen tree with a compact crown; it can grow up to 45 metres tall. The straight bole, which can have a diameter of 100 - 150cm, is often unbranched for up to 30 metres[].
One of the best Australian hardwoods[], the tree is sometimes gathered from the wild as a local food, and is also utilized for its timber. It is planted in many tropical to warm temperate countries as a timber crop[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Eastern Australia - northern New South Wales, Queensland.

Habitat

Wet or dry sclerophyll forest on deeper soils of medium to high fertility[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus resinifera is a plant of the moist tropics to the subtropics and warm temperate zones, where it is found at elevations up to 2,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 16 - 34°c, but can tolerate 6 - 38°c[]. It can be killed by temperatures of -4°c or lower, though new growth can be damaged by temperatures around zero[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 800 - 3,000mm[].
Requires a sunny position, though young trees can tolerate some shade[]. Succeeds in most soils, so long as they are well-drained[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[].
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[].
Trees can be coppiced[].
Annual wood production potential is 5 - 20 cubic metres per hectarea[].
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

A sweet drink is made from the sap[].

A manna is obtained from the tree[].

Medicinal

A kino resin is obtained from the trunk. It is astringent[].
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[].
The inner bark has been rubbed onto the skin in the treatment of venereal disease[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The flowers are a good source of nectar and pollen for bees[, ].

Other Uses

Kino (a red substance resembling resin) is obtained from the tree[]. Rich in tannins, it is readily soluble in water producing a clear solution[]. It can be used as an astringent in medicine and for tanning.

The bark is a source of tannins[].

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 up to 0.7% essential oil. The main components include pinene, 1,8-cineole (around 72& in some forms), [].

The heartwood is dark red; the sapwood pale pink. The wood is moderately coarse-textured; the grain somewhat interlocked. The wood is strong, tough, hard and durable in the soil. It is easy to work and finishes well. Much prized for its strength and durability, it is considered to be one of the best Australian hardwoods and is used for piles, flooring, cladding, panelling, sills, bridge decking, boat building, railway sleepers and general construction purposes[, ].
The wood is used for fuel and for making charcoal[].

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[].