Hyden blue gum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hyden blue gum
Eucalyptus georgei between Hyden and Norseman
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eucalyptus
Species:	georgei

The Hyden blue gum (scientific name: Eucalyptus georgei) is a special type of tree or a small, shrubby tree called a mallet. It only grows in Western Australia, which means it's endemic there.

This tree has smooth bark and shiny green leaves shaped like a spear. Its flower buds are a dull, grey-green color (this is called glaucous). These buds grow in groups of seven to eleven. When they open, you'll see creamy white flowers. After flowering, it produces fruit shaped like a cone or a cup.

What the Hyden Blue Gum Looks Like

The Hyden blue gum is a tree or a mallet. It usually grows to be about 4 to 20 meters (13 to 65 feet) tall. This tree does not form a lignotuber, which is a woody swelling at the base of some eucalypts that helps them regrow after fire.

Its bark is smooth and can be pale grey or coppery-orange. The bark peels off in long strips. Young plants have dull, grey-green leaves that are egg-shaped or broadly spear-shaped. These leaves are about 6 to 8 centimeters (2.4 to 3.1 inches) long.

Adult leaves are either shiny green or dull, grey-green. They are longer, about 10 to 20 centimeters (3.9 to 7.9 inches) long. The flower buds are also dull, grey-green and shaped like an oval or a pear. They are about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) long.

The flowers are creamy white and usually appear between February and March. After the flowers, the tree produces woody fruits. These fruits are often dull, grey-green and shaped like a cone or a cup. They are about 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long. Inside the fruits are glossy, reddish-brown seeds.

How it Got its Name

The Eucalyptus georgei was first officially described in 1978. Two botanists, Ian Brooker and Donald Blaxell, studied a sample collected in 1975. This sample was found east of Hyden, on the way to Norseman.

The scientific name georgei was chosen to honor a botanist named Alex George. He helped the authors with their research.

Different Types of Hyden Blue Gum

In 1993, two slightly different types, called subspecies, were identified:

• Eucalyptus georgei subsp. fulgida: This type has shiny green leaves that are not dull, grey-green. Its fruits are also smaller and shorter. The name fulgida comes from a Latin word meaning "shining."
• Eucalyptus georgei subsp. georgei: This is the original type of Hyden blue gum.

Where the Hyden Blue Gum Grows

The Hyden blue gum is found in a small area of Western Australia. This area is where the Wheatbelt region meets the Goldfields-Esperance region. You can find it from Hyden to the east of Kalgoorlie.

It likes to grow on lateritic (iron-rich) hills and in low areas. It grows in soils that are made of chalky loam, clayey sand, or sandy soils.

Images for kids

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  fresh bark

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  flower buds

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  fruit