Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm.

Description :

A large, evergreen tree, up to 40 m tall with diameters of 1 to 2 m. It has a straight stem, and the crown is spreading and open. The leaves are simple, narrow and lance shaped, 15 to 20 cm long. The leaves a unique eucalyptus smell when crushed. The bark is smooth, whitish and more or less deciduous. The small, white flowers, which occur in clusters, usually blooms between January and April. The fruit is a capsule containing many small seeds and is shaped like a half globe. The capsules mature between August and September. Young trees may be attacked by termites, but with age becomes pest free. It is reproduced both from seed and by vegetative means. Seed sealed in air-tight containers will remain viable for long periods in cold storage. It grows very fast. Height growth rates of 0.3 m/month for young stands have been reported. MAI of 12 to 25 m³/ha/yr has been reported over a 15-year rotation. Wood is red to reddish brown with twisted and interlocked, medium coarse, uneven texture grains. Strength is high with specific gravity of 0.70 and a calorific value of 4900 kcal/kg.

Distribution :

The tree is native to Australia. It is widely planted in arid areas throughout the world. In Pakistan it is successfully planted throughout the plains and in the hills. A very intolerant tree that grows on a variety of soils. It does well on saline, sodic and waterlogged sites. It is adapted to a precipitation zone of 800 to 1500 mm/yr or more. It prefers a semi-humid warm hot, sub-tropical winter/monsoon, climate with a temperature range of 0 to 40°C at elevations up to 1500 m. It coppices easily and can be grown in mixed stands. It is frost hardy and can tolerate hot droughty conditions if irrigated or if there is a shallow water table.

Uses :

This is a good tree for reforestation projects because of its fast growth and wood value. Farmers like it because of its fast growth. This is an excellent farm forestry tree ideally suited for planting on saline, sodic and waterlogged sites. It could be planted on wastelands and for erosion control. Also used in carriages, fuel, charcoal, furniture, shelterbelt, apiculture, pulp, fiber board, and erosion control.