Eucalyptus alba Reinw. ex Blume
Common Name: Ridge Gum
General Information
Eucalyptus alba is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, usually growing 15 - 26 metres tall. This species is often deciduous during the drier months prior to the wet season. The bole, which is often of poor form, is up to 60 cm in diameter
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials and is also used in cosmetic preparations.
Range
Australia - Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland, north to Papua New Guinea.
Habitat
Flat and undulating country, often near the coast or near watercourses, on heavy soil in woodland and open forest. Along watercourses, seasonally-wet depressions
Properties
| Other Uses Rating | |
| Habit | Semi-deciduous Tree |
| Height | 15.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees, Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Eucalyptus alba is native to the tropical climate of northern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 500 metres or more. Summers are moist to wet, with an often severe dry season that can be up to 8 months long. Mean annual rainfall is within the range 750 - 2,000mm; mean maximum of the hottest month is 32 - 35°c; mean minimum of the coldest month is 5 - 10°c, and there are generally very few if any frosts a year
Eucalyptus species generally require a sunny position, succeeding in a wide range of well-drained, circumneutral soils of low to moderate fertility
Trees are frequently hollowed out by termites in the wild, particularly when growing on ridges
Other Uses
The bark contains 30 - 32% tannins
An extract of the leaves is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner
The light reddish-brown wood is moderately to very durable. It is used for heavy-duty construction, as mine timber, for boat building, furniture, handles, sporting goods, agricultural implements, joinery, railway sleepers, poles and carvings
The wood is also used for fuel
Eucalyptus alba - Useful Tropical Plants (theferns.info)
https://youtu.be/AEnDxL17oc8?t=3968