Common Name: Red Bud Mallee

General Information

Eucalyptus pachyphylla is an evergreen shrub or small tree, often with multiple stems growing from a lignotuber at the base. It grows from 1.5 - 5 metres tall[].
The edible nectar is sometimes harvested from wild trees for local use. The plant has ornamental potential for arid areas because of its decorative buds that turn pink before flowering, and its large creamy yellow flowers[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Northern Australia - Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia.

Habitat

Red sand, sandplains, sand dunes, rocky slopes in Western Australia[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Eucalyptus pachyphylla is a plant of arid areas in the tropics and subtropics.
Eucalyptus species generally require a sunny position, succeeding in a wide range of well-drained, circumneutral soils of low to moderate fertility[]. Established plants are drought tolerant.
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[].

Edible Uses

The flowers are a rich source of a sweet nectar[]. It can be sipped directly or mixed with water to make a sweet beverage[].

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 0.3 - 0.6% (dry weight) essential oil. The main components include pinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole (up to 60% in some forms), aromadendrene[].

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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