Tasmanian Blue Gum
Other names
Blue Gum
Growth habit
Tree
Perennation
Cultivated as annual
Native distribution
Nsw, Victoria, Tasmania
Biocultural value
Leaves yield a powerfully antiseptic, aromatic medicinal oil.
Location
Source of plant
Richters
Description
Trees, usually to 45m, sometimes to 70m. Bark usually smooth, white to cream, yellow or grey but accumulated grey-brown, undecorticated bark at the trunk base. Juvenile leaves perfoliate to ovate, opposite, sessile amplexicaul, grey-green to glaucous, discolorous; adult leaves 12-25 x 1.7-3cm, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, sometimes falcate, acuminate, green, concolorous, intramarginal vein to 2mm from margin. Conflorescences axillary, simple; umbels 1-, 3-, or 7-flowered; peduncles flattened or terete; pedicels present or absent; buds turbinate to obconical, warty, glaucous, solitary or in threes or sevens. Fruit obconical to hemispherical or subglobose, usually glaucous, 10-21x14-24mm.
USDA Hardiness Zone
9
Special characteristics
foliage characteristics, tender perennial, medicinal/pharmaceutical