Manna gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manna gum |
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| Eucalyptus viminalis | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
viminalis
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| E. viminalis, field distribution | |
Eucalyptus viminalis, or Manna Gum, is also known as White Gum, Ribbon Gum or Viminalis. It is an Australian eucalypt.
It is a straight tree growing to about 40 metres tall. It has rough bark on the trunk and the larger branches. The bark on the upper part of the tree peels away in long "ribbons" which can collect on the branches and surrounding ground. The tree with the largest recorded diameter (324.7 cm) is at Woodbourne in Marlborough, New Zealand.
E. viminalis grows in the cooler areas of Australia where the leaves are the favoured food of Koalas. The sap has a 5–15% sugar content which makes it an essential food for tree dwelling marsupials like the Yellow-bellied Glider, and the Sugar Glider.
There are three subspecies:
- E. viminalis subsp. viminalis – NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Mount Lofty Range of South Australia
- E. viminalis subsp. cygnetensis – western Victoria, southeastern South Australia
- E. viminalis subsp. pryoriana – southern Victoria
Timber is a pale pink to pinkish brown colour, often with distinctive light grey streaks. The attractive light pink tones of this species and its easy workability mean it is often used to make furniture. It has low strength and durability which makes it unsuitable for structural use, however some is used for house framing.
It can grow in temperatures as low as −15 degrees Celsius (+5 °F) or more making it suitable for planting in Europe.
Images for kids
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Eucalyptus viminalis subsp. pryoriana in Bradshaw Bushland Reserve
See also
In Spanish: Eucalipto de las cintas para niños
