Species Information

Warren Valley Nursery
Australian Native Farm Trees

Species Information

Acacia baileyana purpurea.                 Purple Cootamundra Wattle.   Shrub or tree to 10 m high. d.b.h. to 25 cm, with a spreading crown. Bark is smooth, grey or brown. Purple tone to foliage. Profuse golden blossoms. Widely cultivated both for its foliage and floral display. It is fast growing, frost resistant, fairly hardy but short-lived. Grows in open woodland, in stony, undulating or hilly country, on granites and porphyries. Naturalised in W.A., S.A., Qld, N.S.W. and Victoria. Flowers June to September. Fruits Oct.–Jan.

Acacia dentifera.                                     Toothed Wattle.  A shrub 2 to 3 metres high with golden blossoms and tooth shaped foliage. Found from the Helena Valley near Perth, south to near Bridgetown. Grows in granitic or lateritic soil, loam, clayey sand over granite and clay, often near watercourses or granite rocks in temperate Eucalyptus forest.

Acacia iteaphylla.                                    Flinders Ranges Wattle.  Bushy, spreading shrub 2–4 m high. Occurs in the Gawler Range from Hiltaba Station to near Cowell and in the Flinders Range from Arkaba to Telowie Gorge, also near Port Lincoln, Eyre Peninsular, S.A. Naturalized in places in southwest W.A., S.A., N.S.W. and Vic. Grows mainly on hills among rocky outcrops or in valleys along rocky creeks. Flowers autumn to winter.

Acacia lasiocarpa                                    Dune Moses.  Small shrub to 1.5 metres high. Golden flowers. Widespread in south-western W.A., from Kalbarri to the Esperance area.

Acacia lateriticola                                    Dwellingup Wattle.   Shrub from 0.5 to 1.5 metres high. Light golden blossoms. Occurs from Chittering south to Manjimup, also Dunsborough, south-western W.A. Grows in lateritic sand in Jarrah Marri forest and woodland.

Acacia melanoxylon.                             Tasmanian Blackwood.  A fast growing long lived tree. Widespread, often common in south-eastern Australia, extending from Atherton Tableland south through the highlands of Qld, N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic. and Tas., also the Mt Lofty and Flinders Ranges, S.A., cultivated in south-western Australia. Grows in a diversity of habitats, but favours fertile soils in valleys and on flats in mountainous areas, often growing in wet sclerophyll forest and cooler rainforest. Bark hard, fissured and somewhat scaly. Suited for wetter areas, the timber is prized for furniture and craft work. Yellow flowers from winter to late spring.

Acacia podalyriifolia.                             Queensland Silver Wattle.   Spreading tree 3 to 7 metres high. Light golden flowers. Common in Qld from Mt Morgan inland to west of the Carnarvon Range and southeast to Stanthorpe. Naturalized in southwest W.A. and in S.A. An adaptable species which has become naturalised in some areas. Flowers mainly June and July.

Acacia pulchella.                                    Prickly Moses.   Shrub 0.5 to 1.5 metres high. Golden flowers. Widespread in south-western W.A. from Port Gregory to Cape Arid. Grows in Jarrah and Karri understorey. Flowers in spring.

Acacia saligna.                                        Western Wattle or Golden Wreath Wattle. Naturally occurs through south-western W.A.  Suitable for planting in wet saline areas and in coastal situations. In W.A., grows in a variety of habitats, including poor sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain, clayey soil around Geraldton, the sandplains north of Gingin, the Darling Range and the Great Southern (where it is restricted to creeks and rivers), deep sands associated with watercourses (e.g. south coast of W.A.), the base of granite boulders in the wheatbelt, and in coastal dune systems (often forming dense thickets in the hollows between sand hills). Fast growing and with a dense habit it is ideal for windbreaks. It is frost and wind resistant and is suitable for stock feed. Flowering occurs in late winter and early spring.

Agonis flexuosa.                                     W.A. Peppermint. Occurs in south western Western Australia in coastal areas and near watercourses. Bark is rough and dark and foliage is slender. The flowers are perfumed, white and weeping and appear in spring to early summer.

Casuarina cunninghamiana.               River Oak.  Typically found in belts along streams from north eastern Victoria along a wide strip either side of the Dividing Range, north to Cape York and in to the Northern Territory. It prefers acid neutral soil which is damp but not waterlogged. River Oak timber is heavy and hard, has pale sapwood with dark reddish or purple brown heartwood and has striking medullary rays which enhance its appearance when sawn. Ideal for windbreaks, the timber is suitable for craft and furniture, construction and round timbers. Careful seasoning is needed to reduce warping, splitting and twisting.

Casuarina obesa.                                   Swamp Oak. Occurs naturally in swampy or salt backwaters. Flowers from July to October. Grows well in most damp soils in full sun. Excellent shade and shelter tree.

Corymbia calophylla.                            Red Gum or Marri.  Native to the South West region of Western Australia, from the Murchison River in the north to Bremer Bay on the south coast, mainly in lighter soils. Bark is rough and flaky on trunk and branches and leaves are glossy dark green. Exuded red gum or kino is often found on the trunk. A vigorous tree, it is suitable for windbreaks, shelterbelts and limited timber potential. Profuse flowering occurs in February and March with creamy white blossoms and is an important resource for apiarists. Cor. calophylla is frost hardy when established. Life span is from 250 to 300 years. Classification has been changed from Eucalyptus calophylla.

Corymbia citriodora.                             Lemon Scented Gum. Occurs naturally in northern Queensland from Atherton to Maryborough. Having a smooth powdery white bark and narrow leaves, the tree has a tall slender form with an open crown allowing filtered light to penetrate to understorey plants. Flowers are white and leaves are strongly lemon scented due to citronella oil, which can be extracted commercially. Cor. citriodora is tolerant of different soil types and is suitable for windbreaks and timber production. Flowering occurs in June and July. Classification has been changed from Eucalyptus citriodora.

Corymbia ficifolia.                                  Red Flowering Gum. Native to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia between Walpole and Denmark, where it prefers poor sandy soil but is adaptable to other soil types in cultivation. Having a rough bark and glossy green leaves it is similar in form but smaller than Cor. calophylla. Renowned for the profusion and vibrant colour of its blossom. Flowering occurs from December to January. Colours can vary from a light pink through orange to brilliant red. Colours cannot be guaranteed in trees grown from seed but red is most common. Slow growing but well worth the wait. Classification has been changed from Eucalyptus ficifolia.

Corymbia maculata.                              Spotted Gum.  Occurs naturally in south-east Queensland and coastal NSW. The bark is smooth and when shed in irregular areas small dimple-like depressions are left which change colour from cream to blue-grey, pink or red resulting in an attractive mottled effect. White flowers. Usually grows with a tall straight bole with a dense crown of glossy green leaves. Valued timber tree, producing a hard, strong tough timber, and is favoured for tool handles. Classification has been changed from Eucalyptus maculata.

Eucalyptus albopurpurea.                   Coffin Bay Mallee.  Native to Kangaroo Island and southern Eyre Peninsular in South Australia, growing on coastal sands. It has partly rough-barked stems and glossy green adult leaves. Flowers vary in colour from white to pale pink and shades of mauve. An attractive small tree usually with mauve/purple blossoms.

Eucalyptus botryoides.                        Bangalay or Southern Mahogany. Native to the south coast of NSW and in eastern Victoria, growing from adjacent to coastal dunes to subcoastal hills and valleys where heights of 40m can be reached. The trunk and larger branches have red-brown flaky fibrous bark with smooth bark being white to light brown. The leaves are a glossy dark green above with a lighter colour underneath. Flowers white. Euc. botryoides is a fast growing tree and  forms a dense spreading canopy. It is suitable for shade and shelter belts, timber, windbreaks and will grow in saline soils. Flowers from January to March.

Eucalyptus camaldulensis.                 River Red Gum.  Occurs throughout most of Australia being the most widespread species. The smooth bark is white or grey often streaked with red. White flowers. The tree is frost and drought resistant and some forms are salt tolerant. It is adaptable as to soil requirements and can withstand periodic inundation. Uses include heavy construction, flooring, railway sleepers, fencing, framing etc. Fast growing tree able to reach 18m in ten years in a 250mm rainfall area. Flowering occurs in September and October.

Eucalyptus cladocalyx.                        Sugar Gum.   Natural occurrence confined to the Eyre Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Smooth tan coloured bark and dark green glossy leaves. Leaves are concentrated at the ends of the branches giving the tree an open appearance. Foliage can be toxic to stock. Can grow on limestone. E. cladocalyx is widely planted on farms in southern Australia for shelter belts. It is often pollarded at about 1 metre above ground level and the wood used for posts and fuel. Has also been milled for timber for general construction, poles, and railway sleepers. Has some value in honey production. Sometimes planted as an ornamental. Flowering occurs in January and February.

Eucalyptus cladocalyx "Nana"          Dwarf Sugar Gum.  Smaller form of Euc. cladocalyx. Can be toxic to stock.  See above.

Eucalyptus conferruminata.                Bald Island Marlock.   A small mallet (tree) or shrub endemic to Western Australia, of coastal distribution from Two Peoples Bay east to beyond Esperance and the islands of the Recherche Archipelago. The bark is smooth and the leaves glossy light green. Widely grown as a street tree, farm windbreak and garden specimen. Famous for its balls of green to yellow-green flowers. In the Botanic Gardens in Cape Town, South Africa, specimen trees attain 15 metres in height.

Eucalyptus cornuta.                              Yate.  Found naturally in the south-west of Western Australia in loamy gravelly soils usually associated with granite. Bark is dark, rough and furrowed on the trunk with the branches being smooth. Yellowish flowers. The timber is exceptionally strong and has been renowned for use in shafts and wheels. Suitable for wet and/or saline areas Euc. cornuta is a fast growing tree suitable for use as shade, windbreaks and coastal situations.  Flowering occurs in January and February.

Eucalyptus decipiens decipiens.      Redheart.   A small tree or mallee species endemic to Western Australia occurring from north of Perth south to Cape Naturaliste and east towards the Stirling Range. The bark is rough and the leaves glossy, green to grey-green. Flowers are creamy white.

Eucalyptus diversicolor.                      Karri.  Natural occurrence is the higher rainfall and more fertile regions of south-west Western Australia. A highly valued timber resource. The bark is smooth and grey to orange-yellow in blotches with leaves being much paler on the underside. White flowers. Other than being susceptible to termite attack, Karri is hard and tough, being used for scantling, heavy construction, ship building and flooring. Honey from Karri blossom is highly regarded. Flowering is from May to December.

Eucalyptus foecunda.                           Narrow Leaved Red Mallee.   A mallee endemic to Western Australia found only in coastal areas near Perth, from south of Mandurah to north of Lancelin, always on limey sands. The bark is rough over the whole stems and the adult leaves glossy green. Creamy white flowers.

Eucalyptus forrestiana.                        Fuchsia Mallee.   A mallet endemic to Western Australia, of restricted subcoastal distribution north of Esperance extending from the Cascades area east to near Mt Ney and Mt Beaumont. The bark is smooth and the adult leaves mostly elliptical, maturing glossy, green to olive-green. Yellow flowers.

Eucalyptus globulus globulus.          Tasmanian Blue Gum.  Natural habitat is mainly south-east Tasmania with occurrences on islands in Bass Strait and on Wilson's Promontory and the Ottway Ranges in Victoria. The white to creamy-grey bark is smooth apart from the base which has persistent slabs, shedding in large strips. Euc. globulus are exceptionally fast growing and are grown in large numbers for wood chip. Plantations can be harvested after 7 - 8 years in ideal situations. Other uses are construction, poles, panelling. Flowers appear in spring.

Eucalyptus globulus bicostata.          Southern Blue Gum or Victorian Blue Gum.  Principle occurrence is in Victoria on the northern slopes of the Australian Alps, with smaller areas in Gippsland, western Victoria and southern NSW. Very similar to Tasmanian Blue Gum but tends to have a broader habit. Blossoms appear in winter.

Eucalyptus gomphocephala.              Tuart.  Natural occurrence is the coastal plain of Western Australia from Yanchep in the north to Busselton in the south. Bark is grey and finely fibrous and flowers are white. Trees grow in limestone areas and are ideal for sandy or calcareous soils. The timber is heavy, strong and very hard. It is suitable as an inland species being drought and moderately salt tolerant. Flowering occurs in March and April.

Eucalyptus grandis.                               Rose Gum or Flooded Gum.  Found on the north coast of NSW and in south-east Queensland and in the Atherton area. Smooth powdery white bark with a short stocking of persistent bark and a semi-dense crown of glossy green leaves results in an appearance similar to Euc. saligna. Useful fast growing timber tree, with growth rates of up to 7.5m in the first year recorded in plantation situations and annual growth rates of 3m in natural situations. White flowering occur from June to August.

Eucalyptus lansdownia albopurpurea.     Reclassified as Euc. albopurpurea.

Eucalyptus lehmanii.                              Bushy Yate.  Natural occurrence is between Albany and Cape Arid on the south coast of Western Australia. It is ideally suited for windbreaks, being bushy from the base of the trunk with a dense rounded form. The bark is smooth and grey. Euc. lehmanii is frost and salt tolerant and is suitable for arid areas down to 250mm rainfall. The flowers are very distinctive with fused clusters of finger-like buds up to 5cm long, resembling a mace. Green/yellow blossoms appear from April through to December.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon megalocarpa.  Large Fruited Yellow Gum.  Coastal tree of south eastern South Australia, and adjacent areas of western Victoria. Smooth yellowish bark with blue-grey and cream patches, sometimes with unshed rough bark at the base of the trunk. Suitable for windbreaks and shelter, especially in coastal situations. The large flowers may be white, red  or pink.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon "rosea"          Pink Flowered Yellow Gum.  A variety of Euc. leucoxylon, this is a small tree with pink to red flowers. Will grow on saline and estuarine soils and is useful as windbreaks and shelter. A pretty, open formed tree, flowering occurs from June to January and is very attractive to birds.

Eucalyptus loxophleba.                         York Gum.  Natural distribution is throughout the Western Australian wheatbelt from the Murchison River in the north to Ravensthorpe and the Pallinup River on the south coast. Rough dark grey to grey-brown bark. Upper branches are usually smooth grey to red-brown. Drought and frost resistance and salt tolerance make this tree a popular choice for shade and shelter in shallow soils. Cultivated growth rate can reach 12m in fourteen years. Whit flowers in spring.

Eucalyptus marginata.                           Jarrah.  Occurs in the south-west of Western Australia from Gin Gin in the north to Albany on the south coast. The fibrous bark is red-grey in colour with the leaves having distinctively thickened margins. The timber is world famous, being renowned for its toughness and durability and is used for scantling, construction, flooring, furniture and railway sleepers. Trees can live for 500 years and attain a height of 50m with a trunk diameter of 3 to 4 metres. Creamy white flowers occur mainly between September and February.

Eucalyptus muelleriana.                        Yellow Stringybark.  Natural range is the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria and south-east NSW. The bark is less fibrous and more compact than other stringybarks and is brown on the surface with a yellow interior. The timber is durable and straight grained and is widely used for poles and piles. It is durable in salt water and is used in harbour works as well as general building. White blossoms appear mainly in summer.

Eucalyptus nicholii.                                Narrow Leaved Peppermint.   From the Northern Tablelands of NSW, this is a small to medium tree with rough fibrous grey or grey-brown bark and narrow dull greenish-grey leaves. Ideal for windbreaks and shelter, it is an attractive pyramid shaped tree with abundant small white flowers from autumn to early spring.

Eucalyptus occidentalis.                       Swamp Yate or Flat-Topped Yate.   Occurs in low-lying areas of  the southern wheatbelt and south coastal areas of Western Australia. Rough grey bark on the trunk and lower parts of the branches gives way to smooth silver-grey or yellow-grey on the upper sections. Capable of growing to nearly 6m in 3 years, reaching a mature height of 15 to 25m. Suitable for growing in heavy poorly drained situations and is salt tolerant. Pale yellow to cream flowers occur from March to May.

Eucalyptus patens.                                 Blackbutt or Yarri.  Occurring in the Karri forests and moister parts of the Jarrah forests in Western Australia's south-west. The bark is rough, fibrous and dark grey and can become blackened if subjected to bushfires. Narrow blue-green leaves help distinguish it from Euc. marginata and Cor. calophylla with which it is often associated. The timber is hard and durable, comparable to Euc. marginata, and is used for flooring, panelling, sleepers etc. Cultivated Euc. patens can reach 31m in thirty-five years. One of the most non-flammable timbers in the world. White flowers appear from November to February.

Eucalyptus platypus heterophylla.     Reclassified as Euc. utilus.     

Eucalyptus regnans.                               Mountain Ash. A medium to very large tree occurring in the wetter highland areas of Victoria and northern Tasmania. Mountain Ash is the tallest hardwood species in the world. The bark is rough, grey, brown or black on the lower trunk with smooth cream grey to brown bark higher. Large glossy green foliage. White flowers. A valuable timber resource, Euc. regnans is used for heavy construction, building, flooring, furniture, pulp and plywood.

Eucalyptus robusta.                                Swamp Mahogany.  Natural distribution is coastal NSW and south eastern Queensland, usually in swampy situations. A fast growing medium sized tree with rough fibrous red-brown to grey brown bark with glossy green foliage. The timber is used for fencing and construction. Profuse white blossoms in autumn and early winter.

Eucalyptus rudis.                                     Flooded Gum, River Gum, or WA Blue Gum.  Natural distribution is coastal Western Australia from Geraldton to Bunbury and inland for 100 - 125km. It is closely related to Euc. camaldulensis and appears to intergrade with this species in its northern limits. Rough dark grey bark on the trunk with smooth grey upper branches. Widespread along watercourses. Suitable for heavy poorly-drained soils. White flowers in September and October.

Eucalyptus saligna.                                 Sydney Blue Gum.  Occurs from the Blackdown Tableland in Queensland to Batemans Bay in south-east NSW. Smooth grey bark with a short stocking of persistent bark at the base of the tree. White flowers. Similar in appearance to Euc. grandis. An important fast growing timber tree in coastal NSW used for general construction, flooring, cladding and panelling. Flowers from January to March.

Eucalyptus sargentii.                              Salt River Mallet.  A small tree or mallee, of scattered distribution from north of Geraldton south-east to the Lake Grace region, always associated with salt lakes and salt creeks. The basal bark is rough grey-black and the adult leaves small, narrow, slightly glossy, olive-green to green. Flowers whitish to pale lemon.

Eucalyptus sideroxylon.                        Red Ironbark.   A small to medium-sized woodland tree widespread on the western slopes and plains of New South Wales, also west of Sydney, extending into northern Victoria in the area from Chiltern to Winton. Uses include heavy engineering construction, railway sleepers, timber, gums, oils, honey, medicinal. Bark is dark grey, dark brown or black, deeply furrowed down trunk. Widely grown as an ornamental especially for its colourful flowers and the contrast between crown and bark colour. flowers white, red, pink, or yellow or lemon.

Eucalyptus sideroxylon rosea.            Red Flowered Ironbark.   Red flowered form of Euc. sideroxylon.

Eucalyptus spathulata.                           Swamp Mallet.  A low-branching mallet with a full crown endemic to Western Australia. Natural occurrence is in the southern wheatbelt of Western Australia, from Wagin to Ravensthorpe, usually on saline sites near watercourses and low lying areas.  Bark is smooth grey-brown or red-brown and the narrow leaves help distinguish Euc. spathulata from related species. Very salt tolerant, it is an ideal tree for windbreaks in seasonally flooded and/or saline areas. Flowering occurs from October to December.

Eucalyptus torquata.                               Coral Gum.    A small tree endemic to Western Australia, restricted to the central and southern goldfields, from Coolgardie to east of Kalgoorlie and south to Norseman. The bark is rough and hard, and the adult leaves grey-green. Flowers pink and creamy white. It is a favourite municipal and domestic ornamental and is an abundant nectar producer and is of value to apiarists.

Eucalyptus utilus.                                    Coastal Moort.  From the coastal area of the Esperance Plains, Euc. utilus is a small tree with dense glossy green foliage. It is an ideal choice for windbreaks, especially in coastal regions, being multi-stemmed and bushy, maintaining protection close to the ground. It can be planted in conjunction with taller trees as it is liable to blow over when exposed. White flowers occur in late spring and summer. E. utilis is widely planted as a street tree and also as a windbreak on farms.

Eucalyptus viminalis.                              Manna Gum.   Common in well watered areas of south eastern South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and eastern NSW apart from the coast. Bark is mainly smooth with some trees having a black butt or rough bark over most of the trunk. Smooth bark  is often powdery and can vary from light cream through pale brown to light grey. Very fast growing, the timber is used for joinery, scantling, flooring and pulp.

Eucalyptus wandoo.                               Wandoo or White Gum.  Native to the south west of Western Australia, extending through the western wheatbelt from Moora to the Stirling Ranges. Smooth, patchy, yellow to white bark. The timber is known for being strong and durable and has been used for heavy construction such as wharves and bridges, sleepers and flooring. Flowers from February to April.

Melaleuca cuticularis.                             Saltwater Paperbark.   Large shrub or tree with papery white bark. Common in the southwest of WA in saline depressions and swamps. Flowers are white or cream, appearing in September - October

Melaleuca hamulosa.                              Creekline Honey Myrtle.   A large bushy broom-like shrub with white or faintly pinkish mauve blossoms in late spring or early summer. Widespread in southern southwest WA, mainly where rainfall is below 500mm.

Melaleuca incana.                                    Grey Honey Myrtle.   A medium sized shrub with soft weeping grey-blue to grey-green foliage and rough dark grey bark and white to yellow blossoms. Occurs in damp situations from Jurien Bay to Albany

Melaleuca lateritia.                                   Robin Redbreast Bush.  A medium sized shrub with coarse fibrous bark and large showy red flowers. Flowering occurs for an extended period, peaking during summer and early autumn. Widespread in WA from Eneabba to Albany, favouring wet depressions. 

Melaleuca preissiana.                             Paperbark. Bushy-crowned paperbark tree with white or cream flowers. Grows in low-lying wet areas from Eneabba to Ravensthorpe in southwest WA. Flowering is spasmodic from August to March.

Melaleuca quinquinervia.                       Broad Leaved Paperbark.    Erect tree with thick, white or greyish papery bark. Very common along Australia's east coast from Sydney to Cape York within 40 km of the coast. Flowers are white, cream, occasionally reddish and appear in autumn and winter.

Melaleuca raphiophylla.                         Swamp Paperbark. Bushy crowned tree with greyish white papery bark and showy profuse white to cream blossoms in November. Widely distributed in the south-west of WA along river banks and swamps.

Melaleuca teretifolia.                               Banbar.  An erect shrub with greyish papery bark and white flowers in late spring and summer. Found in the Darling Range area of WA, from north of Perth to Bunbury.

Melaleuca uncinata.                                Broom Bush.  Brownish papery to smooth bark with cream to yellow, occasionally orange flowers in spring. Widespread throughout Australia. Used for brush fencing and shadehouses.

Melaleuca viminea.                                  Mohan.  A large dense shrub with coarse fibrous bark. Flowers are white or cream  and appear in early spring. Widespread in swamps in south-west WA from Kalbarri to Esperance.

Viminaria juncea.                                     Golden Spray.  A shrub which occurs in moist temperate parts of the southern states of Australia. Resembles the introduced Broom. As a small tree it is upright and the slender trunk has a dark fibrous bark. Small lemon-yellow pea flowers in November and December.