Salt gum facts for kids

The Salt Gum (scientific name: Eucalyptus salicola) is a special type of tree. It is also called the salt lake salmon gum or salt salmon gum. This tree grows only in the southwest part of Western Australia. It has smooth, powdery bark and long, thin leaves. Its flowers are creamy white and grow in small groups. The fruit looks like a small cup.

What Does the Salt Gum Look Like?

The Salt Gum is usually a small to medium-sized tree. It often grows to be about 4 to 15 meters (13 to 49 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can even reach 25 meters (82 feet) high! This tree has smooth bark that feels like powder. It is white to light grey, but when it's new, it can be a pretty salmon pink color.

Young Salt Gum plants have heart-shaped or round leaves. These leaves are a bit waxy and bluish-green. Adult leaves are shiny green on both sides. They are long and narrow, like a spear, and measure about 3.5 to 10.5 centimeters (1.4 to 4.1 inches) long.

The tree's flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each bud sits on a small stalk. The buds are oval-shaped and about 5 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long. They have a cone-shaped top, which is like a little cap.

Salt Gum trees bloom between January and March. Their flowers are a lovely creamy-white color. After flowering, the tree produces woody fruits. These fruits are shaped like a short cup or half a sphere. They are about 2 to 5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.2 inches) long.

The Salt Gum looks a lot like another tree called the Eucalyptus salmonophloia. They have similar shapes and colors.

How the Salt Gum Got Its Name

The Salt Gum, Eucalyptus salicola, was first officially described in 1988. A botanist named Ian Brooker wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The first samples of the tree were collected by Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper in 1984. They found them east of Kulja in Western Australia.

The scientific name salicola comes from two Latin words. "Sali" means "salt," and "cola" means "dweller." So, salicola means "salt dweller." This name makes sense because of where the tree likes to grow!

Where Does the Salt Gum Grow?

The Salt Gum is found in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance areas of Western Australia. It grows in places around salt lakes and clay pans. It prefers red, sandy clay soils.

You can find these trees spread out across a wide area. They grow from Newdegate in the west all the way to the Great Victoria Desert in the east.

The Salt Gum often grows in woodlands with other trees. Some of these trees include the Eucalyptus loxophleba, Eucalyptus salubris, Eucalyptus myriadena, Eucalyptus annulata, and Eucalyptus brachycorys. Smaller trees like Callitris columellaris and Pittosporum angustifolium also grow nearby.

Growing and Using Salt Gum Trees

You can buy Salt Gum trees from nurseries. People use them for a few different things. They are good for helping to fix up land, especially in areas that might be damaged. They are also used to produce firewood.

The Salt Gum grows at a moderate speed. It is special because it can handle salty soil. It can also grow in soils that are sometimes waterlogged, meaning they have too much water.

The wood from the Salt Gum tree has a brown-red color. It has a medium grain. The wood is quite heavy. Craftsmen like to use this wood. It is good for holding screws and excellent for turning on a lathe. It is also easy to machine, sand, and finish.