Paperbark gum facts for kids

The Paperbark Gum (scientific name: Eucalyptus chartaboma) is a special type of gum tree that grows only in Queensland, Australia. It's called "paperbark" because of its unique bark, which feels soft and papery on the lower part of its trunk. This medium-sized tree is known for its beautiful orange flowers and interesting ribbed fruit.

What Does the Paperbark Gum Look Like?

The Paperbark Gum can grow up to 18 m (59 ft) tall, which is about as high as a six-story building! It often has several trunks growing from its base. This tree can also regrow from a special woody lump called a lignotuber if it gets damaged, like by a bushfire.

Bark and Leaves

The bark on the lower part of the trunk is soft, fibrous, and feels like paper. It can be brownish or whitish. Higher up, the bark is smooth and can be white or a pale cream color.

Young Paperbark Gum trees have egg-shaped leaves that are a dull green. These leaves are about 50–90 mm (2.0–3.5 in) long and 30–45 mm (1.2–1.8 in) wide. As the tree gets older, its leaves change. Adult leaves are shaped like a spear (lance-shaped) and are a lighter dull green on the underside. They are longer, about 85–165 mm (3.3–6.5 in) long, and narrower, about 13–25 mm (0.51–0.98 in) wide.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of the Paperbark Gum grow in groups of seven. These groups are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of flowers grows on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 16–30 mm (0.63–1.18 in) long. Some individual flowers might have a very short stalk (a pedicel) or no stalk at all.

Before they open, the flower buds are covered in a whitish, waxy coating, which makes them look a bit dusty or frosty (this is called glaucous). They are shaped like a spindle or a diamond, about 16–21 mm (0.63–0.83 in) long and 8–11 mm (0.31–0.43 in) wide. A cool thing about these buds is that they have distinct ribs along their sides! The top part of the bud, which covers the flower, is shaped like a cone (this is called an operculum).

Paperbark Gums usually bloom between January and April. When they open, their flowers are a bright orange color!

After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule that is shaped like an oval or an urn, but with a flattened top. It's quite large, about 30–75 mm (1.2–3.0 in) long and 30–65 mm (1.2–2.6 in) wide. Just like the buds, the fruit also has clear ribs along its sides. Inside the fruit, the parts that hold the seeds (called valves) are tucked away.

How It Got Its Name

The Paperbark Gum was first officially described in the year 2000 by a scientist named Dean Nicolle. He found a sample of the tree north of a place called Mount Garnet in Queensland.

The scientific name, Eucalyptus chartaboma, tells us something special about the tree. It comes from two Ancient Greek words:

• charte, which means "leaf of paper"
• bomos, which means "base" or "stand"

So, the name "chartaboma" refers to the papery bark found at the base of the tree's trunk.

Where Does the Paperbark Gum Grow?

The Paperbark Gum usually grows on low hills. You can find it in different spots across Queensland, near towns like Croydon, Einasleigh, and Mount Garnet. It also grows further north, up to Maitland Downs on the southern part of the Cape York Peninsula.