Yarri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yarri
Eucalyptus patens at Walpole - Manjimup
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eucalyptus
Species:	patens

Flower buds

Fruit

Bark

The Dominator, the largest yarri tree

The Eucalyptus patens, often called yarri or blackbutt, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family. This tree grows only in the southwest part of Western Australia. It has rough bark on its trunk and branches. Its leaves are shaped like a spear. The tree produces creamy-white flowers and round or oval fruits.

What the Yarri Tree Looks Like

The yarri tree can grow very tall, up to 45 meters (about 148 feet). Its trunk can be as wide as 1.8 meters (about 6 feet). On drier or less fertile land, it might be smaller. Sometimes it grows as a mallee, which is a shrub with many stems.

The bark of the yarri tree is thick and rough. It has deep grooves running along it. The outside of the bark is grey, and the inside has a yellowish color.

Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit

The adult leaves of the yarri tree are a dull bluish-green. They are arranged in an alternating pattern along the stem. Each leaf is shaped like a spear and can be 10 to 16 centimeters (4-6 inches) long. They are 1.2 to 3 centimeters (0.5-1.2 inches) wide.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven to eleven. They are club-shaped. The flowers are creamy-white. They usually appear between July and August, or from November to February.

After flowering, the tree produces woody fruits. These fruits are round or oval capsules. They are about 9 to 14 millimeters long and 9 to 12 millimeters wide.

How the Yarri Tree Got Its Name

A botanist named George Bentham first officially described this tree in 1867. He wrote about it in a book called Flora Australiensis.

The name patens comes from Latin. It means "spreading" or "outspread." This might refer to how the tree looks when it grows. The common name "yarri" comes from the Aboriginal people.

The name "blackbutt" is also used for this tree. However, other Eucalyptus trees in Australia are also called "blackbutt." This can be confusing. The name "blackbutt" often refers to the trunk becoming dark, sometimes from fire. Because of this confusion, "yarri" is now the preferred name for this tree.

Where Yarri Trees Grow

Eucalyptus patens grows best in gravelly soils. These soils often have sandy clay or loam mixed in. You can often find yarri trees in low areas, along stream banks, or in valleys. They grow in the Peel, South West, and Great Southern regions of Western Australia.

The tree's range extends north to the Avon River. You can still find yarri trees in the Darling Range. They grow near reservoirs like Canning Dam, Mundaring Weir, and Serpentine Dam. They are also found at Mount Cooke, which is the highest point in the range.

Yarri Tree's Life and Surroundings

On the Darling Plateau, yarri trees grow in deeper valleys. They are often found with jarrah or marri trees. They can also be seen on slopes above swampy areas.

Young yarri trees have broad leaves that face upwards. This helps them get enough light when growing in the shade of other tall trees. As they get older, their leaves become longer and face downwards, like most eucalypts.

Animals and the Yarri Tree

The flowers of the yarri tree attract many insects and birds. These animals feed on the sweet nectar. Some birds also hunt insects that live on the tree.

Birds like Rosellas and honeyeaters often feed around yarri trees. Ringneck parrots are also seen there. The rough bark of the tree provides a home for many insects. Birds like sitellas (Neosittidae) search for these insects along the branches. The grey honeyeater (Conopophila whitei) also looks for insects in the bark's grooves.

Uses of Yarri Wood

The wood from the yarri tree is very useful. However, it is hard to get for timber these days. Many areas where it grows are now protected nature reserves. Even where logging is allowed, trees near streams are often protected.

The wood from the center of the tree is light to dark brown. It is very hard and lasts a long time. It has a coarse texture and its grain can be straight or interlocked. The dried wood is quite dense. It is good for building, railway sleepers, and flooring. Yarri timber is similar to jarrah wood, but it is lighter in color.

Growing Yarri Trees

It is possible to grow yarri trees yourself. There is a lot of information available on how to cultivate them. You can collect the seeds from the tree's capsules at any time of the year. The seeds will grow without needing any special treatment.

The tree produces a lot of pollen. It flowers before the marri tree, which is another big source of nectar. This means yarri pollen can help beehives grow stronger earlier in the season.

Images for kids

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  Details of Eucalyptus patens from Eucalyptographia. A descriptive atlas (1879)

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  Yarri with a person for scale, around 1922

See also

In Spanish: Yarri para niños