Eucalyptus viminalis
| Eucalyptus viminalis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |    |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 98' |
| Width: | 49' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Eucalyptus viminalis (common name: manna gum)
Propagation: Seed - surface sow February/March in a sunny position in a greenhouse[1][2][3]. Species that come from high altitudes appreciate 6 - 8 weeks cold stratification at 2°c[4]. 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. Plant out into their permanent positions in early summer and give them some protection from the cold in their first winter. The seed can also be sown in June, the young trees being planted in their final positions in late spring of the following year. The seed has a long viability[4].
Cultivation: Prefers a sunny position in a moderately fertile well-drained moisture retentive circum-neutral soil[4]. Tolerates poor soils, especially those low in mineral elements[4]. Tolerates dry soils and also drought once it is established[4].
A fairly hardy species, one report suggests that it is hardy to between -15°c and -20°c[4] whilst another says that plants succumb to hard frosts[1].
Eucalyptus species have not adopted a deciduous habit and continue to grow until it is too cold for them to do so. This makes them more susceptible to damage from sudden cold snaps. If temperature fluctuations are more gradual, as in a woodland for example, the plants have the opportunity to stop growing and become dormant, thus making them more cold resistant. A deep mulch around the roots to prevent the soil from freezing also helps the trees to survive cold conditions. The members of this genus are remarkably adaptable however, there can be a dramatic increase in the hardiness of subsequent generations from the seed of survivors growing in temperate zones[4].
Eucalyptus monocultures are an environmental disaster, they are voracious, allelopathic and encourage the worst possible attitudes to land use and conservation[4].
A fast growing tree, it is often cultivated in S.W. Europe for timber, soil stabilization shelter and as an anti-malarial measure, the trees are capable of drying out wet ground, making it unsuitable for mosquitoes to breed in[5].
This species is very easily confused with E. dalrympleana[1].
Plants are shallow-rooting and, especially in windy areas, should be planted out into their permanent positions when small to ensure that they do not suffer from wind-rock[6]. They strongly resent root disturbance and should be container grown before planting out into their permanent position[1].
The flowers are rich in nectar and are a good bee crop[4].
Range: Australia - Tasmania.
Habitat: Cool moist sites, usually on better soils, to 1400 metres[7][8].
Edibility: A manna is exuded from the leaves[9][1][10] (from the bark as well according to some reports[11][10]) as a result of insect damage[12]. The red gum or manna exuding from cracks in the bark is eaten eagerly by boys[13]. Eucalyptus manna, which exudes from punctures in summer months, is sometimes consumed[13]. A very pleasant sweet taste[14][15], it is slightly laxative[8]. The aboriginal Australians collected it after it fell to the ground, or they scraped it from the leaves[16]. Heavily covered leaves were pounded and baked[16]. Since the manna is probably formed as a result of insect damage, it is quite possible that it will not be formed in Britain because the same insects will not be able to live here[K]. The manna contains the sugars arabinose, raffinose, dextrose, and sucrose[13].
Medicinal: A sweet manna exuded from the plant has a mild laxative effect[8][17].
The essential oil found in the leaves shows an antiviral effect and can be used in the treatment of influenza[13]. The leaves inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus[13].
The leafy twig decoction was used to bathe rheumatic limbs[13].
Usage: The leaves contain between 0.35 - 0.75% essential oil, of which 50 - 65% is cineol, 5% is pinene, and 10% is eudesmol[18][13].
The bark contains 4.8 - 8% tannin[13].
The red gum or manna exuding from cracks in the bark has been used for making adhesives[13].
Planted in S. Europe for soil stabilization and to drain marshes in order to get rid of malarial mosquitoes[5].
Wood - coarse grained, durable in the soil[14][11], excellent quality[7]. In rich soils the wood is not so hard or durable[19]. The wood, which weighs about 51 lb./cu ft, is used for building, construction, joinery, and vehicles[13]. It is considered suitable for paper pulp[13] and is a moderately good fuel[19].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Citronellal, an essential oil found in most Eucalyptus species is reported to be mutagenic when used in isolation[13].
In large doses, oil of eucalyptus, like so many essential oils has caused fatalities from intestinal irritation[13]. Death is reporte
Also Known As: E. angustifolia.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kelly, Stan. Eucalypts. Nelson, 1969.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lassak, Erich and Tara McCarthy. Australian Medicinal Plants.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 Duke, James. Handbook of Energy Crops. 1983.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Arnberger, Leslie. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments, 1968.