Maiden's blush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maiden's blush |
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| A young maiden's blush tree growing by the Hacking River in Australia. | |
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Sloanea
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| Species: |
australis
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The Sloanea australis, often called the maiden's blush, is a special rainforest tree. It grows in eastern Australia. You can find it from near Batemans Bay in southern New South Wales up to Cape Tribulation in tropical Queensland. This tree likes many types of rainforests. It often grows in very wet spots, like next to streams.
The name "maiden's blush" comes from the pink color of its inner wood. It looks like a gentle blush! Its new leaves are also bright pink. This makes the tree easy to spot. Other names for it are blush alder and cudgerie. The trunk of the maiden's blush is often crooked and leans. This is another way to identify it.
Contents
What the Maiden's Blush Looks Like
The maiden's blush is a medium to large tree. It can grow up to 30 metres (about 100 feet) tall. Its trunk can be as wide as 60 centimetres (about 2 feet). The bark is grey-brown.
Trunk and Branches
The trunk is often wide at the bottom. It can be crooked and have unusual shapes. Smaller branches grow from the main trunk. One very tall tree was found in Border Ranges National Park. It was 55 metres (about 180 feet) tall!
Leaves
The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They have wavy edges and are toothed. They are shaped like an egg, wider at the top. Leaves can be 7 to 30 centimetres (3 to 12 inches) long. Some have a slightly blunt tip. The leaf stalks are 6 to 25 millimetres (about 0.2 to 1 inch) long. They have a bend where they join the leaf blade. You can clearly see the veins on both sides of the leaf.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The maiden's blush tree produces flowers and fruits. These help new trees to grow.
Flowers
Cream-colored flowers appear from October to November. They grow alone or in small groups.
Fruit and Seeds
A woody fruit grows from February to June. It is 15 to 20 millimetres (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. Inside, there is a soft, orange part called an aril. This aril surrounds three to five shiny black seeds. Many rainforest birds enjoy eating this fruit. This includes the paradise riflebird.
Growing New Trees
It is not hard to grow new maiden's blush trees from fresh seeds. You can also grow them from woody branches or cuttings.
See also
In Spanish: Sloanea australis para niños
