Origin

Coastal forest edges from northern New South Wales to North Queensland.

Habitat:

Moderate to fast growing medium sized evergreen tree typically developing a single trunk and rounded to pyramidal canopy,  In its natural environment the species can attain heights of up to 40m.  In southern Australia   mature dimension of about 10-15 m in height  x 6-12 m width can be expected.

Description:

Leaves thick, ovate, dark green and glossy. above, paler beneath,to 15cm long.  Flowers white, occurring in three’s, generally inconspicuous in southern Australia.  Fruit a woody bell shaped capsule to 1cm.  Bark smooth, sometimes lustrous, beige coloured, seasonally peeling in flakes revealing  coppery orange to brown tones.

Tolerances:

Tolerates a wide range of soils growing best in a  soil pH of  between 4-6.  Moderately tolerant of drought, frosts, aerial slat spray and air pollution.

Root space:

Based on 75% of mature size tree would require approximately 254m2 area or 152m3 root volume (crown projection method).

Availability:

Commonly available.

Uses & management:

Moderate to long lived species.  Requires irrigation to establish.  Transplants easily.  Rarely requires formative pruning to develop good branch structure.   Responds well to pruning.  Fire retardant.  Generally free of any serious pests or diseases.  Flowers attract bees.  Produces a woody fruit capsule that can create trip hazard on hard surfaces.  Leaf litter slow to break down.  Good street tree or modest sized specimen tree for parks.

Featured Tree© Tree Logic Pty Ltd 2009

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Specimen of Western coolibah growing in garden bed at Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth.
Photograph: Jeremy Thomas. Arborist, Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority.

Origin

Western Australia and Central Australia, from Murchison River to Port Hedland and east into central Northern Territory.  Usually found on flood plains and low lying areas of red clay or clay loam.

Habitat:

Small to medium evergreen tree with a spreading form on a single trunk.  A mature height of about 5-15 m  x 5-10 m wide.

Description:

Dull light green to grey-green lanceolate foliage. Terminally held peduncles in groups of 7 with conical to rounded operculum.  Flowers creamy white, Nov–Mar.  Bark smooth throughout, white and powdery.

Tolerances:

Tolerates heavier soils and temporary inundation.  High tolerance of drought.  Generally free of any serious pests or diseases.

Root space:

Based on 75% of mature size tree would require approximately 98.5m2 area or 59m3 root volume (crown projection method).

Availability:

Uncommon in cultivation.  Seed available.

Uses & management:

Potential for use as a small specimen tree suited to dry conditions.  The startling smooth white trunk would highlight any garden.  Resistant to major pests.
Potential as street and open space tree.  ANPSA (2009) state that a dwarf form of Western coolibah can be found on the floodplains around the Murchison River and has potential for a small feature tree.  The tree grows readily from seed.

Featured Tree© Tree Logic Pty Ltd 2009
Ref:
Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) – ANPSA (2009) Eucalyptus victrix. Available at  http://asgap.org.au/e-vic.html  [Accessed 11/2/09]
EUCLID – Eucalypts of Australia. Third Edition 2006, CD-ROM, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research in assoc. with CSIRO Publishing
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Origin Common on the coast, central tablelands and central western slopes of N.S.W. and Eastern Victoria near the Snowy River (Upper). Scattered, mostly on rocky slopes near rivers or creek gullies.
Habit:
Long-lived, large shrub to small erect or spreading tree, with a broad domed canopy. In its natural environment, height varies from 2-16m. In cultivation, mature height could be expected to reach approximately 5-8m high x 5-8m wide.
Description:
Slightly corrugated to fissured bark, fibrous-flaky, grey or dark brown. Branchlets flattened and hairy. Blue-grey phyllodes, narrowly elliptical to falcate, 6-15cm x 5-25mm, covered in fine hairs and silvery hue. 1-5 inflorescences in axil of phyllodes, spike heads cylindrical, 2-6 cm long, pale to bright golden yellow in spring. Pods straight to slightly curved, flat but slightly raised over seeds, straight-sided to slightly, or occasionally more deeply, constricted between seeds, 2-8.5 cm long, 2.5-5 mm wide.
Tolerances:
Adaptable species, tolerant of alkaline soils and has a high drought tolerance. Root space: Based on mature size tree would require approximately 50m2 area or 30m3 root volume (crown projection method).
Availability:
Common in N.S.W nurseries. Occasional in other States
Uses & management:
Can be used as an alternative to Cootamundra Wattle, which can become weedy. Silvery foliage provides excellent contrast. It is an adaptable species growing in a range of situations in its natural habitat, from coastal areas to dry open forests. Could be used as small dominant tree or as an understorey planting. Is reported to be toxic to stock.

Ref:
Costermans, L. 2003, Native trees and shrubs of South-eastern Australia, Reed New Holland, Australia
Costermans, L. 2006, Supplement to native trees and shrubs of South-eastern Australia: changes and additional species,
Costermans Publishing, Australia
Kodela, P.G. 2005,
Acacia binervia
(J.C.Wendl.) J.F.Macbr., New South Wales Flora Online,
Maslin B. R. (Coordinator) 2001, WATTLE Acacias of Australia. CSIRO Publishing

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Although tolerant of extended dry periods, it prefers moist soils to develop best specimens.
Good tree for urban landscapes. Useful species for screens and informal hedges.
Flower and fruit are bird and insect attracting.

Widespread in riverine rainforest, often lining stream banks; north from the Hunter Valley extending into Queensland.

Medium evergreen tree with a narrow domed form while young developing to a broad domed crown. A mature height of about 10-20 m x 7-15 m wide. Weeping Lilly Pilly can grow to 30 metres in height in its natural habitat although it is usually much smaller in cultivation.

Leaves lance-shaped to elliptical which taper to a point. Lustrous, dark green, lighter green below, undulate margins. Develops a relatively dense canopy at maturity. White flowers on many-flowered panicles, appear from late spring to mid summer and are followed by round fruits 15 -20 mm in diameter and green in colour, maturing with a pink to red tinge. Finely fissured, dark grey bark.

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, prefers acid soils. Once established it will tolerate extended dry conditions but is at its best when assured water is available. Will tolerate waterlogged conditions. Position away from windy sites. It will grow well in light shade. Moderate to low tolerance for root disturbance/construction impacts. Transplants easily. Prone to scale infestations.

Based on 75% of mature size (in urban landscapes) tree would require approximately 113m2 area or 67m3 root volume (crown projection method).

A widely cultivated tree, well suited to urban landscapes. Good street and open space tree. Prune to central trunk otherwise little pruning is required. Good screen plant but will require pruning/hedging at least twice a year. Fruit litter is not as problematic as other Lilly Pillys.
Variety known as ‘Sweeper’ has more pronounced weeping habit with lush green new growth with more pronounced undulation to margin.

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Featured Tree© Tree Logic Pty Ltd 2008
Ref:
Australian Society for Growing Australian Plants (2008) as seen here
National Herbarium of New South Wales (2008) as seen here