Redwood mallee facts for kids

Eucalyptus moderata is a type of tree or a mallee (a shrubby tree with many stems) that grows only in the southwest part of Western Australia. It has rough, tough bark on its trunk. Its adult leaves are shaped like a spear, and its flower buds usually grow in groups of seven. The flowers are pale yellow, and the fruits hang down and are shaped like an urn.

What it Looks Like

This tree usually grows up to about 15 meters (50 feet) tall. If it grows as a mallee, it will be shorter. The bark at the bottom of the tree is hard, scaly, and dark grey. Higher up, the bark becomes smooth and white. This plant can regrow from a special woody lump called a lignotuber if it gets damaged. Its younger branches often have a whitish, powdery coating.

The adult leaves are a dull blue-green to green color and are arranged one after another along the stem. They are shaped like a spear, about 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) long and 0.8 to 2.5 centimeters (0.3 to 1 inch) wide. The leaves narrow down to a stalk called a petiole.

The Eucalyptus moderata blooms between September and July, showing off its creamy-yellow flowers. The flower buds usually grow in groups of seven on a stalk. When the buds are ready to open, they are oval to oblong shaped, about 1.4 to 2.1 centimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. They have a beak-shaped or horn-shaped cap, called an operculum, which falls off when the flower opens.

After the flowers bloom, they turn into fruits that hang down. These fruits are mostly urn-shaped, about 0.6 to 1.0 centimeter (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimeter (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. Inside the fruit are brown-grey seeds that are oval or flattened-oval.

How it Got its Name

Eucalyptus moderata was first officially described in 1991 by two botanists, Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson and Ken Hill. They published their description in a science journal called Telopea.

The name moderata comes from the Latin word moderatus, which means "moderate" or "medium." This name was chosen because the tree's size, leaves, buds, and fruits are all of a medium size compared to its closest relatives.

Where it Grows

You can find Eucalyptus moderata growing on flat areas, slopes, and along roadsides in the eastern Wheatbelt and the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It prefers to grow in sandy or loamy soils that are found over granite or laterite rock.

This tree often grows alongside other types of eucalypts, like E. oleosa and E. incrassata. The plants growing underneath these trees are mostly shrubs, such as Melaleuca and Acacia species, and sometimes Triodia grasses.