Eucalypt
There is perhaps nothing more Australian than the eucalypt. While diverse in form and habit, there is no mistaking one in the landscape. An impressive selection of Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora can be found in all parts of Melbourne Gardens, ranging from single-trunked giants to thicket-growing lignotubers and all in between. This collection celebrates the wonderful diversity of the quintessential Australian tree.
This Collection is important as it:
- Demonstrates the horticultural potential of uncommonly cultivated species.
- Preserves and conserves rare and threatened species.
- Educates visitors about the unique adaptations eucalypts have evolved to survive in Australia.
Key Plants
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
River Red Gum
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Eucalyptus botryoides
Southern Mahogany
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Eucalyptus gregoriensis
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<em>Eucalyptus camaldulensis</em>
River Red Gum
The Lions Head Tree, so named because of the evocative appearance of a gall on its trunk; is justifiably considered to be amongst the most significant of all the trees at Melbourne Gardens.
Notes from the Curator
Eucalypts are some of the oldest and largest trees present in the Gardens, some of which even predate the establishment of the Gardens. The Separation Tree - estimated to be over 400 years old when it died in 2013, stood tall before European colonisation. Nearby this ancient skeleton still grows the Lion's Head Tree estimated at some 300 years of age. The urbanisation of Melbourne alone means that such remnant trees have already experienced significant climate change and their value as sentinels of a past era cannot be underestimated.