Mountain blue gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain blue gum |
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| A giant Eucalyptus deanei, near Woodford in Blue Mountains National Park, Australia | |
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Eucalyptus
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deanei
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The Mountain Blue Gum (Eucalyptus deanei) is a very tall tree. It is also called the round-leaved gum or Deane's gum. This tree grows only in New South Wales, Australia. It has smooth bark and long, thin leaves. Its flowers are white and grow in small groups. The fruit looks like a tiny cup or bell.
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What Does the Mountain Blue Gum Look Like?
The Mountain Blue Gum is usually a straight forest tree. It can grow very tall, often between 40 and 65 meters (about 130 to 213 feet). Its trunk can be up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) wide. Some trees are even taller, reaching over 75 meters (246 feet)!
The trunk has smooth bark that is pale grey or cream. Near the bottom, the bark is rougher and grey or brownish. Young trees have round or egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are about 4 to 10.5 cm (1.5 to 4 inches) long.
Adult leaves are long and thin, like a spear. They are shiny dark green on top and lighter underneath. These leaves are usually 7 to 18 cm (2.7 to 7 inches) long. They grow on a stalk called a petiole, which is 1.7 to 4 cm (0.6 to 1.5 inches) long.
Reproduction: Flowers and Fruit
The tree's flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds sits on a stalk called a peduncle. This stalk is 8 to 22 mm (0.3 to 0.8 inches) long. Each individual bud has a smaller stalk called a pedicel.
The buds are oval or pear-shaped. They are 4 to 7 mm (0.15 to 0.27 inches) long. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, can be cone-shaped or rounded. The tree blooms from February to April. Its flowers are white.
After flowering, the tree produces woody fruit. This fruit is shaped like a cup or bell. It is 4 to 6 mm (0.15 to 0.23 inches) long. The fruit is a type of capsule, which holds the seeds.
How Was This Tree Named?
The Mountain Blue Gum was first described in 1899. Two important botanists, Henry Deane and Joseph Maiden, studied it. They first called it Eucalyptus saligna var. parviflora.
In 1904, Deane decided it was a unique species. He then gave it the name Eucalyptus deanei. Maiden named the tree after his friend, Henry Deane. Deane was an engineer who also loved botany. Maiden said Deane helped him a lot with his work on Eucalyptus trees.
This tree is part of a group called "eastern blue gums." Its closest relatives are the Flooded Gum (E. grandis) and the Sydney Blue Gum (E. saligna). The Mountain Blue Gum gets its common name from its roundish young leaves. This feature helps tell it apart from its relatives.
Where Does the Mountain Blue Gum Grow?
The Mountain Blue Gum grows in two separate areas in New South Wales. The southern group of trees is found from Thirlmere to Broke. The northern group is found from Armidale up to the D'aguilar Range, west of Brisbane.
This tree loves sheltered valleys where there is a lot of moisture. It grows well in clay, loam soils, and sandy areas. Sometimes, it can also be found in higher places.
One of the most famous places to see these trees is the Blue Gum Forest. This forest is in the Grose Valley within the Blue Mountains National Park.
Other trees that often grow near the Mountain Blue Gum include:
- Sydney Blue Gum (E. saligna)
- Grey Gum (E. punctata)
- Messmate (E. obliqua)
- Manna Gum (E. viminalis)
- River Peppermint (E. elata)
- Forest Oak (Allocasuarina torulosa)
Giant Mountain Blue Gums
Some Mountain Blue Gums are truly massive! Near Woodford in the Blue Mountains, one giant tree was measured in 1978. It was an amazing 78 meters (256 feet) tall! In 2010, it was measured again at 71 meters (233 feet) tall. Its trunk was 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) wide.
Another huge tree is in the Blue Gum Forest in the Grose Valley. It is near Blackheath. This tree is 65 meters (213 feet) high. Its trunk is 6 meters (19.6 feet) wide! This tree is over 600 years old. It is a well-known landmark for people who go bushwalking in the area.
