Blue mallet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blue mallet
Eucalyptus gardneri near Boxwood Hill
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eucalyptus
Species:	gardneri

The Blue Mallet (Eucalyptus gardneri) is a special type of eucalyptus tree. People also call it Woacal. It grows in Western Australia. This tree has smooth bark and pretty flowers. Its flowers are usually creamy yellow or pale lemon. They grow in small groups. The tree also produces interesting fruit.

What Does the Blue Mallet Look Like?

The Blue Mallet is a type of eucalyptus tree. It usually grows to be about 5 to 15 meters (16 to 49 feet) tall. This tree has very smooth bark. The bark can be grey or even a salmon-pink color. It peels off in small pieces.

Leaves, Buds, and Flowers

The leaves of the Blue Mallet are shaped like a spear. They are a dull grey-green or yellow-green color. Both sides of the leaf look the same. These leaves are usually 5 to 11 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long. They are attached to the branch by a small stem called a petiole.

The tree's flower buds grow in groups. You might see seven, nine, or eleven buds together. Each group of buds sits on a small stem called a peduncle. The buds themselves are long and thin, like a spindle. They have a special cap called an operculum. This cap looks a bit like a horn.

Blue Mallet flowers bloom for many months. You can see them from February to September, or sometimes even in December. The flowers are a lovely creamy yellow or pale lemon color.

Fruit of the Blue Mallet

After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule. It is shaped like a cylinder or a barrel. These fruits are about 7 to 11 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long.

How the Blue Mallet Got Its Name

The Blue Mallet, Eucalyptus gardneri, was first officially described in 1924. A famous botanist named Joseph Maiden wrote about it. He included it in his book about eucalyptus trees.

The tree was named after Charles Austin Gardner. He was another botanist who collected a sample of the tree in 1922. He found it near a place called Bendering in Western Australia. The local Noongar people have their own name for this tree, which is Woacal.

Different Types of Blue Mallet

In 1991, two scientists, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper, found two slightly different types of Eucalyptus gardneri. These are called subspecies.

• Eucalyptus gardneri subspecies gardneri
• Eucalyptus gardneri subspecies ravensthorpensis

The subspecies ravensthorpensis has stronger, more spindle-shaped flower buds. Its horn-shaped cap (operculum) is also a bit shorter.

Where Does the Blue Mallet Grow?

The Blue Mallet is found in the southern part of the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It likes to grow on rocky hillsides and slopes. You can often find it in gravelly soils that have a lot of iron, called lateritic soils.

This tree often grows alongside other eucalyptus trees. It forms part of the main tree layer in woodland areas. Other plants like Melaleuca uncinata and Hakea multilineata often grow beneath it.

Is the Blue Mallet Endangered?

Good news! Both types of Eucalyptus gardneri are considered "not threatened." This means they are not in danger of disappearing. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of this.

Growing Your Own Blue Mallet Tree

People can buy Blue Mallet trees as seeds or as small plants. They are popular for gardens because they are pretty. They also make good shade trees. Farmers sometimes use them to help stop erosion (when soil washes away). They can even grow in areas where the ground gets very wet.

If you plant a Blue Mallet, it likes full sun. It can also handle dry weather, which means it doesn't need a lot of water. Plus, its flowers attract birds, making your garden more lively!