White gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White gum |
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| Eucalyptus alba habit | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
alba
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The White Gum (scientific name: Eucalyptus alba) is a type of tree found in Australia, Timor, and New Guinea. It's also known as khaki gum or poplar gum. This tree has smooth bark, leaves shaped like spears or eggs, and its flowers are white. After the flowers, it grows fruits that look like cones.
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What the White Gum Looks Like
The White Gum tree usually grows to be about 5 to 18 m (16 to 59 ft) tall. Its branches spread out, making the top part of the tree (called the crown) about 5 to 15 m (16 to 49 ft) wide. The main trunk of the tree is often a bit bent.
The bark on the trunk is smooth. It can be pinkish-red, white, or cream-colored, and it often feels powdery.
When the tree is young, its leaves are arranged in a special way and are shaped like eggs or are almost round. They are about 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) long and 8–12 cm (3.1–4.7 in) wide. As the tree gets older, its leaves change. Adult leaves are shaped like eggs or spears. They are about 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) long and 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) wide. Both sides of the adult leaves are a similar shade of green.
The flower buds grow in groups of seven. Each group is on a small stem called a peduncle, which is about 4–14 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long. The buds themselves are oval or almost round. They have a cap (called an operculum) that is about 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide.
White flowers bloom on the tree from August to November. Sometimes, there are many flowers! After the flowers, the tree grows fruits. These fruits are shaped like cones or half-spheres. They are about 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide.
How the White Gum Got Its Name
The White Gum was first described in 1826 by a scientist named Carl Ludwig Blume. He wrote about it after another scientist, Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt, found it on Timor.
The scientific name alba comes from a Latin word that means "white." This name was chosen because of the tree's white bark. The White Gum has many common names, including poplar gum, khaki gum, wongoola, salmon gum, and Timor white gum.
Where the White Gum Lives
The White Gum is a common tree in open woodlands. You can find it in different parts of Australia, including the Kimberley region in Western Australia, the Top End of the Northern Territory, and between the Cape York Peninsula and Rockhampton in Queensland. It also grows in New Guinea and Timor.
These trees often grow on high ground or ridges, even in soil that isn't very rich.
How People Use White Gum Trees
The White Gum is a nice tree to plant in gardens because it's not too big and looks pretty. It also helps attract birds.
In northern Australia, people have used the wood from White Gum trees to build fences. The flowers of the White Gum are also important for beekeeping. Bees collect nectar from the flowers to make honey. Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory valued this tree for firewood.
