Eucalyptus denticulata

Eucalyptus denticulata, more commonly known as the Shining Gum, is a species endemic to the mountainous forests of southeast Australia. Its origins lend it vigour and robustness, it is capable of withstanding cold down to -10°C (14 °F), and difficult winter conditions (rain, snow, wind, ...). Of beautiful posture, it stands out for its very straight trunk covered with particularly colourful bark which contrasts well with the vegetation of a pretty bluish green. Fast-growing, this beautiful remarkable tree structures the landscape of a garden large enough to accommodate it. In their natural environment, the imposing canopy formed by these eucalyptus trees provides an ideal shelter for vegetation largely composed of ferns.

Eucalyptus denticulata, synonym for E. nitens var denticulata, is a species endemic to southeast Australia, specifically the humid forests south of Bombala in the extreme southeast of New South Wales and the highlands of eastern Victoria, particularly the plateau of the Errinundra National Park. It thrives in cold and warm temperate rainforests, on sandy alluvial soils, and on granite slopes and plateaus, at an altitude between 300 and 1000 m (984 ft 4 in and 3280 ft 10 in). Belonging to the Myrtaceae family, it is commonly called: Shining Gum or Errinundra Shining Gum. The denomination denticulata comes from the Latin denticulatus which means: small teeth, referring to the edges of the leaves.

This eucalyptus forms a large tree, with a straight and spreading crown. Fast-growing, in its natural environment it reaches a height of 35 to 60 m (114 ft 10 in to 196 ft 11 in)  and 15 to 25 m (49 ft 2 in to 82 ft) in width. In our climates, its size is somewhat more moderate, rarely exceeding 30 m (98 ft 5 in) in height. Unlike many Eucalyptus, this species does not have a lignotuber, a swelling of the collar at ground level (rich in starch) that allows the stump to regrow in case of severe frost, fire or pruning to the ground. When young, it has square and winged branches, bearing juvenile foliage, composed of leaves, without petioles, opposite, ovate to lanceolate, 5 to 12 cm (2 to 4.7 in) long and 2 to 4.5 cm (0.8 to 1.8 in) wide, with a crenate edge, blue-green. Then, as it develops, the petiolate leaves become alternate and take a lanceolate to crescent shape, 13 to 25 cm (5.1 to 9.8 in) long and 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1 in) wide, with a dentate edge, a nice shiny glaucous green on both sides. The leaves are very aromatic and release a menthol scent when crushed, rich in eucalyptol. As it ages, the rough bark, on the lower part of the trunk, is grey or brown; and on the upper part, the bark is smooth, white or cream, with yellow, brown, green or grey spots. Quite frequently, the ribbons of bark that exfoliate hang in the upper branches of the tree. The flowering occurs mainly in spring and early summer, but occasionally at other times. It does not constitute a real interest, drowned in the mass of foliage. The inflorescence, arranged in the leaf axil, on a short peduncle, is composed of 7 floral buds gathered in a tight bouquet and blooms into small cream-white flowers. After flowering, the fruits, called "gumnut", appear in the form of a woody, hemispherical capsule, which contains brown or grey seeds 1 to 2 mm (0 to 0.1 in) long.

The Errinundra Shining Gum is an attractive and robust tree that finds a place in a large garden planted on its own in a clear space to appreciate the beauty of its bark and the elegance of its stature. In order to highlight its architectural habit, it is grown on a single trunk. With a hardiness of -8 to -10°C (17.6 to 14 °F), it will prefer a temperate, coastal climate with dry to moist, well-draining soils, but it dislikes long periods of drought and soils that are too clayey or too chalky. Comfortable in moist but not swampy soils, it has the ability to dry them out. With a very developed root system, care should be taken in choosing its location, especially keeping it away from the foundations of a house or pipes.