Common Name: Silvertop Ash

General Information

Eucalyptus sieberi is an evergreen tree with an open crown; it usually grows 30 - 35 metres tall, though specimens up to 45 metres are reported. When growing on good sites the bole is long and straight, up to 65% the total height of the tree and around 60 - 90cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - northeastern Tasmania, Victoria, southeastern New South Wales

Habitat

Mainly on coastal lowlands, on slopes with poor to fairly good soils; at elevations up to 500 metres in Tasmania and to 1,000 metres in mainland Australia[]. A component of dry sclerophyll forest usually on impoverished sandy and gravelly soils[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus sieberi is native to the temperate climate of southeastern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. Rainfall can occur all year round or in winter only, with a mean annual rainfall within the range 750 - 1,000mm and a dry season that is not usually severe of up to 4 months. The mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 22 - 28°c; mean minimum temperature of the coldest month is 2 - 9°c, and there are generally around 10 - 20 frosts a year[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -7°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 lwell-drained soils of low to moderate fertility[]. Found in the wild on poor to fairly good soils with parent materials comprising schists, sandstones and granites; soils including some clays, well drained[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[].
The tree is easy to handle and grows well on fairly poor soils. Its recent acceptance as a suitable wood for the paper industry makes it more attractive as a planting species[].
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 0.4 - 1.3% (3.3 - 3.9% dry weight) essential oil. The main components include 1,8-cineole, phellandrene, piperitone, pinene and eudesmol[].

The heartwood is light brown, with distinct growth rings; the sapwood is up to 25mm wide. The grain is interlocked. The wood is hard, strong but not durable; with a density of 640 - 1,040 kilos per cubic metre. It is used for structural engineering, bridges, wharves, fencing, sleepers, flooring, plywood, crates and pulp[, , ].

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[].