A tree reaching capable of reaching 35 metres tall with a canopy spread 20 metres, forming a lignotuber
It is one of the ironbark species with a trunk of deeply-furrowed, hard and dark grey ironbark which extends up the trunk to the ultimate small branches. Large trees can have a broad weeping habit.
It is a very common tree – found naturally in NSW and Queensland. It is a species that has undergone a geographic range revision and is now thought to exist as far south as Picton, south of Sydney – extending northwards in in coastal, tablelands and western slopes zones, as far west as around Dubbo, Wee Waa and Nyngan, pushing northwards into Queensland where it is as far west as the longitude of around Georgetown, then further west as it extends right up to the Cape York Peninsula.
It commonly grows as part of dry sclerophyll woodland and forest communities – often on shale-based soils rather than sandstone but can also be found on very sandy soils as well. It is a tree often found on hot and dry hills.
Eucalyptus spp. have simple and usually alternate adult leaves with juvenile leaves starting off opposite to alternate (disjunct). In this species, the juvenile foliage / coppicing growth is very narrow – opposite to alternate, green to blue-green in colour.
The adult leaves are disjunct, and similar to juveniles – narrow-lanceolate, to 15 cm long and to about 1.7 cm wide – often deep green / dark green and concolorous; often weeping downwards.
The primary inflorescence of “eucalypts” (Angophora / Corymbia / Eucalyptus) is an umbellaster (an umbel-like cluster of flowers). In the flowers of Corymbia and Eucalyptus, the petals and sepals are fused into the distinctive calyptra / operculum (bud cap) which is shed when the flower opens (in some species, 2 bud caps (opercula) are shed). The flowers are conspicuously staminate – where many stamens are basically taking over the role of the petals, all surrounding one central carpel. In this species, the flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups (umbellasters) of 7-11. Mature buds are very small, to about 6 mm long and only about 4 mm across.
Eucalyptus produce a capsule (gum-nut) which house valves which open to release the seed. The fruits (capsules) of some boxes have a cylindrical to urceolate shape. In this species, the capsules are on the small side compartitively, mostly cylindrical to ovoid, to 7 mm long and 6 mm wide. with valves enclosed or rim level.
This tree could be cultivated and would be a nice specimen tree in a hot and sunny spot. Large remnant trees can still be seen in urban backyards in western Sydney. The dark bark is very dramatic. The canopy is only narrow and so may not provide a lot of shade. However, trees likely provide habitat resources for birds and other fauna.
It is a species likely too big for most urban backyards.
They are used commonly in bushland revegetation projects.
The timber is very durable and useful for a range of applications from furniture to railway sleepers. Usually a very hardy and sturdy tree.
Propagate from seed.
This species can regenerate from fire from lignotubers and epicormic shoots as well as the seed bank.
It is well-known that Eucalyptus is a large and diverse genus. Between 700 and 950 known species are reported, occurring as far north as The Philippines, as well as Indonesia, New Guinea, Timor and Australia. Only 16 species reportedly occur outside Australia. They occur in all Australian states. NSW currently has about 250 species. (See this website for some detailed information: https://apps.lucidcentral.org/euclid/text/intro/learn.htm).
Eucalyptus – from Greek, eu, “well” or “true” and calyptus, referring to the calyptra (καλύπτρo) or operculum, which is a bud cap or covering which covers the developing flowers. The calyptra is a fusion of petals and/or sepals and is shed when the flower opens, leaving a flower with many stamens (staminate) surrounding one female part (carpel).
crebra – Latin meaning “often”, “crowded” or “frequent” – referring to the common abundance of the species.
This species is not considered to be at risk of extinction in the wild.
NSW Flora Online (PlantNET) – Eucalyptus crebra profile page https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Eucalyptus~crebra
EUCLID – Eucalypts of Australia – Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research – Eucalyptus crebra profile page https://apps.lucidcentral.org/euclid/text/entities/eucalyptus_crebra.htm
Arcane Botanica YouTube Channel (Dan Clarke) – Eucalypt Theory Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m89bALPO4uc