Tidbinbilla, ACT

Brindabella, ACT

Natural populations

Eucalyptus viminalis comprises three main subspecies [1,2]:

• Subsp. viminalis is common in the mountains and foothills of the Great Dividing Range in southeastern New South Wales and Victoria, across much of Tasmania, including King and Flinders Islands, with an outlier in South Australia on Mt Lofty Range east of Adelaide; grows on well-drained alluvial or sandy loam soils with clay subsoils and on certain sites is one of the tallest eucalypts known;
• Subsp. cygnetensis occurs in southwestern Victoria from near Cape Otway, extending west to adjacent parts of the southeast of South Australia, to the Mt Lofty Range, the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island; often grows on sandy soils along creeks and is a woodland tree;
• Subsp. pryoriana occurs near the coast in southern Victoria, mainly east of Melbourne; grows on in sandy coastal soils and is a spreading woodland tree up to 15 m tall.

A fourth undescribed taxon - subsp. ' hentyensis' - occurs in an isolated stand in western Tasmania [2].

Flowering and seeds

This species flowers during summer to autumn [1,3,4]. Seed capsules persist on trees until at least the following summer. There are about 300 viable seeds per gram; seeds start to germinate in about 7 days if grown at 25°C with no pretreatment required [4].

Cultivation and uses

Eucalyptus viminalis is usually a relatively fast growing species suitable for growing on a range sites from highlands to coastal lowlands. There is considerable potential to cultivate this species well beyond its natural range [5] and it is considered slightly salt tolerant [6]. This is a highly variable species in which has substantial provenance variation [7]. Its wood is not very strong, nor durable but in the past has been used for building framing, flooring, panelling, joinery and pulpwood [1].

Key descriptors:
Subsp. cygnetensis:
Climate parameters
Mean annual rainfall: 650-1000 mm
Mean annual temperature: 8-15 °C
Mean max. temperature of the hottest month: 25-27 °C
Mean min. temperature of the coldest month: 4-6 °C
Altitude: 5-150 metres
Tolerance of extremes in climate
Frost: tolerates frosts in the 0° to -5°C range
Wind: tolerates salt-laden coastal winds
Soil factors
Texture: clay loam, light to medium clay (35-50% clay), loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam or sand
Tolerance of adverse soils
Extremes in pH: acidity
Extremes in texture: sand
Biological traits under cultivation
Habit: evergreen tree 10-20 m tall
Erosion control potential: excellent for sandy sites
Windbreak potential: tolerates salty coastal winds

Subsp. pryoriana:
Climate parameters
Mean annual rainfall: 400-1200 mm
Mean annual temperature: 9-15 °C
Mean max. temperature of the hottest month: 21-27 °C
Mean min. temperature of the coldest month: 4-7 °C
Altitude: 5-450 metres
Tolerance of extremes in climate
Wind: tolerates salt-laden coastal winds
Soil factors
Texture: loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam or sand
Tolerance of adverse soils
Extremes in pH: acidity
Extremes in texture: sand
Biological traits under cultivation
Habit: evergreen tree 10-20 m tall
Erosion control potential: excellent for sandy sites
Windbreak potential: tolerates salty coastal winds

Subsp. viminalis:
Climate parameters
Mean annual rainfall: 500-1700 mm
Mean annual temperature: 4-17 °C
Mean max. temperature of the hottest month: 18-30 °C
Mean min. temperature of the coldest month: -3-7 °C
Altitude: 5-1300 metres
Tolerance of extremes in climate
Frost: tolerates frosts in the 0° to -5°C range or tolerates heavy frosts colder than -5°C
Soil factors
Texture: clay loam, heavy clay (greater than 50% clay), light to medium clay (35-50% clay) or loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Tolerance of adverse soils
Extremes in texture: clayey
Biological traits under cultivation
Habit: evergreen tree 10-20 m tall, tree > 20 m tall, usually produces a clear trunk
Erosion control potential: excellent for clayey sites
Biological traits under cultivation
Habit: evergreen tree 10-70 m tall
Uses
Wood products: pulpwood (wood chips for paper pulp), solid wood products, flooring (including parquetry), heavy construction, light construction, panelling, speciality timber for quality furniture

Descriptors in common:
Tolerance of extremes in climate
Fire: regenerates foliage after damaging fire
Soil factors
Soil pH reaction: acidic (less than 6.5) or neutral (6.5-7.5)
Soil depth: moderate to deep (30-100 cm or greater)
Drainage: well-drained or seasonally waterlogged
Salinity: slightly to moderately saline or non-saline
Tolerance of adverse soils
Salinity: nil - sensitive to saline soils or slight (2-4 dS m-1)
Soil waterlogging tolerance: nil - sensitive to waterlogged soils or drainage may be sluggish at times
Biological traits under cultivation
Longevity: moderate to long lived (>15 years)
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Coppicing ability: vigorous, responds to pruning, pollarding; lignotuberous
Root system: moderate to deep
Shade tolerance: grows best in full sunlight
Wood density: mod. to high (greater than 600 kg/cubic metre)
Carbon sequestration potential: moderate to high
Uses
Potential farm use: shelterbelt or shade for stock
Specialty products: flowers produce nectar for honey production, pollen has value for apiculture
Wildlife value: flowers are especially attractive to birds

References

[1] Boland DJ, Brooker MIH, Chippendale GM, Hall N, Hyland BPM, Johnson RD, Kleinig DA, McDonald MW, Turner JD (2006) Forest Trees of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

[3] Clemson A (1985) Honey and Pollen Flora. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

[7] Eldridge K, Davidson J, Harwood C, Wyk Gv (1993) Eucalypt Domestication and Breeding. Clarendon, Oxford.

Internet links

Australian National Botanic Gardens: http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/cold-climate/eucalypts-cold-climates.html

eFloraSA Electronic Flora of South Australia: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml.cgi?form=speciesfacts&family=&genus=eucalyptus&species=viminalis&iname=&submit=Search

PlantNET National Herbarium of New South Wales: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Eucalyptus~viminalis

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