Eucalyptus sideroxylon

Native range: Vic, NSW and Qld Height: 10-30 m Width: 6-10 m Flowering: Summer to spring, peaking in winter Fruiting: Winter to spring Light: Full sun Growth rate: Moderate Soils: Poor shallow soils Drought tolerance: High Landscape position: Lower slopes Rainfall range: 500 – 1000 mm Benefits: Mugga Ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) is a tall tree with striking dark brown to black fissured bark and grey-green foliage. It is relatively drought tolerant and can be fast growing in warm, wet seasons. It is frost tolerant and can tolerate a wide range of soils but does not cope with extended waterlogging or permanently wet sites, however it grows well in seasonally moist sites. Eucalyptus sideroxylon makes a good mid- to upper-height tree in a shelterbelt and provides excellent habitat for wildlife. In good years it flowers prolifically during the cooler months of the year, attracting honeyeaters, nectar-eating parrots, possums and gliders. It is a valuable tree for honey production and nectar produces a mild, light-coloured honey. It produces low pollen quantities that does not provide enough protein for honeybees to survive. The dark trunks of Eucalyptus sideroxylon have a sculptural quality that makes it an excellent specimen or accent tree in landscaping. It can be visually impressive in street or driveway plantings, and contrasts well against pale-stemmed eucalypts. The timber is heavy, with pale yellow sapwood and dark red heartwood. It is extremely strong and long-lasting, resistant to termites, fungal attack, submersion in water and can survive in soil for extremely long periods (±100 years). Traditionally used as a structural timber for railway sleepers, building construction and fenceposts, it is now commercially grown and used in applications such as flooring and furniture making. It has an even texture and interlocked grain, and although sometimes difficult to work, it polishes to a high sheen. The timber makes excellent firewood. Drawbacks: Too large for domestic use. Flammable. Do not plant close to buildings. Uses: Hardy, mid- or upper-level tree in shelterbelts Ornamental and landscaping use in parklands and gardens Shade tree  Suited to dry sites Excellent wildlife habitat Attractive street or ornamental tree Strong, durable timber with attractive red colour useful for many applications Good firewood Propagation: By seed.  Weed risk: Low Future climate risks:  Increasing temperatures and drought may reduce suitable habitat in the western region of its distribution and leads to and a lower total population size. References Agrifutures: Red Ironbark – https://shorturl.at/ahkTY AVH (2022). The Australasian Virtual Herbarium, Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria, https://avh.chah.org.au PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney – https://shorturl.at/jFUY3 Shabani F, Kumar L, Ahmadi M. 2017. Climate Modelling Shows Increased Risk to Eucalyptus sideroxylon on the Eastern Coast of Australia Compared to Eucalyptus albens. Plants (Basel). – https://shorturl.at/kpEH9 Street, B. 1978. Relationships between Flowering and Honey Production of Red Ironbark, Eucalyptus sideroxylon (A. Cunn.) Benth., and Climate in the Bendigo District of Victoria. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research: 29(4) Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group website – https://wtlandcare.org/