| General Description | A large evergreen tree that can live up to 1000 years old. Has narrow leaves that are alternately arranged, and has showy, white flowers. Can grow in a wide range of conditions from warm to cold, making it a suitable tree all year round. |
| ID Characteristic | Large evergreen tree that can be best identified by its irregular canopy and sporadic growing branches. Has long, narrow leaves that are blueish green in colour. Prefers full sun growing conditions and does not like shade. Its timber is widely used for tables and flooring. |
| Shape | The canopy has an irregular shape as the branches grow in all sorts of directions. The branches of the tree create a more weeping shape as they tend to droop down. Can have a dense or thin structure depending on how you prune it. |
| Landscape | The large size of the tree and its dense canopy make it a great choice for creating shady areas. Although the size of the tree can be used as a focal point in a park or a garden, its size also makes it difficult to use as a street tree. The exfoliating bark is another reason why it is not used as a street tree, as the bark can cause a mess. The tree can also be used as a windbreak, which helps protect crops from wind damage. The flowers attract pollinators like bees and birds, making it a nice addition to a garden for beneficial insects and other types of wildlife. |
| Propagation | The best way to propagate the River Red Gum is by seed. The best time start propagation is during the late winter. Start by filling a pot with soil and plant the seeds at the top of the soil. Once the seeds begin to develop, you can separate them into individual pots. During the summer months, plant the seed where you want it to be, just make sure there is enough protection for the seed for the upcoming winter weather. |
| Cultivation | Prefers clay, fertile soils, but also likes loamy soils. The River Red Gum can be seen growing in more clay soils depending on what part of Australia you are looking at. Great tolerance to salt, and can be planted in deeply alkaline soils and still survive. Prefers a high pH of 6 to 8. Also tolerates cold and heat temperatures and can grow in hot and cold climates. Likes moisture in early stages, but can tolerate drought fairly well when it matures. |
| Pests | Susceptible to a variety of different fungi including cinnamon fungus. While this isn’t a common fungal disease in the greenhouse industry, there is no way to recover the plant if disease is found on the plant. Powdery mildew can also be an issue for the plant. It can occur if there is too much moisture, however it is not a serious problem. |
| Notable Specimens | The Eucalyptus camaldulensis can be found at King’s Park in Perth, Australia. The tree is called the Queen’s Tree because Queen Elizabeth II planted the tree. It was planted on March 27, 1954, in the State War Memorial area of the gardens. |
| Habitat | Grows naturally in wet, low-lying areas around the edges of rivers and water streams. Also grows in locations where the soil typically has high salt content. Considered invasive in certain habitats in South Africa, as the trees have caused damage to rivers in the region by sucking up all the water and leaving the soil to wear down. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Has smooth, patchy bark that is grey in colour. The flaky, exterior bark is red in colour and when it exfoliates, it reveals the grey colour. The bark on the River Red Gum is very durable, which improves its resistance to pests like termites. No plate character on the bark as the exterior exfoliates, and the interior is smooth. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The flower buds are roughly 1 cm in size. They come in clusters of 5 to 7 buds. Has an ovoid type bud that is yellow to green in colour. |
| Leaf Description | The leaf type of the River Red Gum is lanceolate, which is long and narrow in shape. The leaf can grow to be 26 cm long and 8 cm wide. When the leaves are young, they are greener in colour, but they become more bluish green in colour as they age. The leaves are simple, alternately arranged with a cuneate leaf base, and with entire leaf margins. Has pinnate leaf venation, and the veins can be difficult to spot as they are not that visible. |
| Flower Description | Showy, creamy, white flowers that are 2 to 3 cm in size. Blooms in late spring to early summer. Flowers have no fragrance to them. Only half of the flowers end up reaching maturity. The flower is bisexual. The flower includes male parts such as the stamen, filament and anther, and female parts like the ovary, style and stigma. The pollen produced by the flower attracts bees and birds. |
| Fruit Description | The fruits on the River Red Gum are called gum nuts. They have a greenish brown colour and are approximately 5 mm in size. They have a hard woody exterior, and have round bulb shape. It can take as little as four months for the fruit to develop. |
| Colour Description | The interior bark of the River Red Gum is grey. The flaky, exterior bark is red but it gives off the grey colour when it exfoliates. Has a dull green colour foliage. The leaves are a blueish green colour. The flowers are a bright white colour, while the fruit are more greenish and brown. The flower buds are yellow to green in colour. |
| Texture Description | Has a fine texture and stays relatively the same throughout the seasons. The leaves have a smooth texture. |