Common Name: Melville Island Bloodwood

General Information

Corymbia nesophila is an evergreen tree with a moderately dense canopy; it can grow 25 - 30 metres tall. The bole is straight, around 50 - 65% of the total height of the tree, and up to 100cm in diameter[, ].
One of the best timbers in the Northern Territory, the tree is harvested from the wild for its good quality timber and is also cultivated[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - northern Western Australia, northern Northern Territory, northern Queensland

Habitat

Flats and lower slopes; at elevations up to 300 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Corymbia nesophila is native to the tropical monsoonal climate of northern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 300 metres. Rainfall occurs in the hot season, with a mean annual rainfall within the range 1,250 - 1,500mm and a dry season of 4 - 6 months. The mean maximum temperature of the hottest month is 32°c; mean minimum temperature of the coldest month is 5°c, and there are no frosts[].
Requires a sunny position, succeeding in a range of light to medium-textured, well-drained soils of moderate fertility[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7[].
The plant develops a lignotuber - this is a woody tuber that starts to develop near the base of seedlings and can become massive in the mature plants of some species. It possesses embedded vegetative buds, allowing the plant to regenerate following crown destruction, for example by fire[].
This is probably the best available bloodwood if this type of wood should be required in latitude 11°- 12° of Australia. It is growing well as a plantation crop in northeast Brazil[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves. Total quantity of the oil, and its composition, can vary widely from plant to plant, but we have reports that the fresh leaves contain around 0.6% (dry weight) essential oil. The main components include globulol (around 68%), alpha-pinene (17%) and spathulenol (3%)[].

The heartwood is dark reddish-brown; the approx 25mm wide band of sapwood is white. The wood is moderately hard and durable. It is used for poles and piles, and occasionally sawn for construction purposes and railway sleepers[, ].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a seedtray in a sunny position and do not allow the compost 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. Seedlings are planted out in the field when they reach a height of about 25 cm. This should coincide with the onset of the rainy season in tropical countries[].
The seed has a long viability[].
Seeds can be maintained for several years in hermitic storage at 3°c, with 6 - 10% moisture content[].

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