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.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

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[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

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[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a sunny position and make sure the compost is not allowed to dry out[, , ]. Species that come from high altitudes appreciate 6 - 8 weeks cold stratification at 2°c[]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as the second set of seed leaves has developed, if left longer than this they might not move well. The seedlings are ready for planting in the field when they are 25 - 30 cm tall, usually after 3 - 4 months.
The seed has a long viability[].

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