Eucalyptus fastigiata

Eucalyptus fastigata is among those great trees that populate the vast mountainous forests of southeastern Australia. The most beautiful specimens can reach over 60 metres (196 feet 11 inches) in the Blue Mountains National Park, but in our climates its growth is somewhat more modest, hardly exceeding 30 m (98 ft 5 in) in height. Of incredible stature, it is distinguished by its very straight cylindrical trunk, covered with rough and fibrous brown bark, while the branches of the crown reveal smooth bark that peels off in long pendulous ribbons. Its cream-white summer flowering is quite inconspicuous in the midst of the leaf mass, but extremely fragrant, and attractive to bees. With a hardiness of -8 to -10°C (17.6 to 14 °F), it tolerates cold and snow. It thrives in a temperate climate, in moist and fertile, well-drained soil, not too dry in summer. Low maintenance and attractive all year round, this beautiful evergreen tree is best planted in a large garden or park, alone or in groups to form a grove.

Eucalyptus fastigata, synonym of E. regnans var. fastigata is an endemic species of southeast Australia, particularly the high open forests of the valleys and slopes of the plateaus of northern New South Wales and in the far northeast of Victoria. In the high rainforests, at an altitude between 300 and 1400 m (984 ft 4 in and 4593 ft 2 in), it thrives on heavy, rich and deep, but well-drained soils. Belonging to the Myrtaceae family, it is commonly known as: Brown Barrel or Cut Tail. The name Eucalyptus fastigata comes from the Latin fastigatus which means: raised in point or ended in point and refers to the habit of the tree. This species is widely planted in New Zealand where it is an important source of wood for construction, pulp production and firewood.

This eucalyptus forms a tree with a fastigiate habit, with a straight trunk, devoid of branches at the base, topped with a conical crown, formed of numerous closely arranged branches. It is fast growing, reaching in nature a height of 30 to 45 m (98 ft 5 in to 147 ft 7 in) and 10 to 20 m (32 ft 10 in to 65 ft 7 in) in width. Unlike many Eucalyptus, this species does not have a lignotuber, this swelling of the collar at ground level (rich in starch) which allows the stump to restart in case of severe frost, fire, or pruning to the ground. As a young plant, it displays rounded branches bearing green juvenile leaves with short petioles, first opposite, elliptical to ovate, then alternate, in a lanceolate to crescent shape, 4.5 to 12 cm (1.8 to 4.7 in) long and 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2 in) wide. Then the leaves become l7 to 20 cm (2.8 to 7.9 in) long and 1.5 to 3.5 cm (0.6 to 1.4 in) wide and a shiny, pretty silver green on both sides. The leaves are tough, slightly aromatic and give off a menthol scent when crushed, rich in eucalyptol. With age, the bark on the entire trunk and large branches becomes rough and fibrous, often furrowed, grey or brown while the bark of the crown branches is smooth, marked with white, cream, orange or brown spots, which peels off in hanging strips. The flowering occurs mainly in summer, but occasionally at other times. The inflorescence, located in the leaf axil, is composed of 11 to 15 floral buds gathered in an umbel which blossom into small flowers with numerous cream-white anthers, forming a pompom about 1 cm (0.4 in) in diameter. Rich in nectar, they are very attractive to bees. After flowering, the fruits, called “gumnuts“, appear in the form of a woody, whitish-grey, conical or pear-shaped capsule divided into 3 or 4 compartments, which contain seeds 2 to 3.5 mm (0.1 to 0.1 in) and remain attached to the stem for a long time.

Eucalyptus fastigata is an attractive and robust tree that finds a place in a large garden or park, planted alone, in a clear space, to appreciate the beauty of its barks 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 moist, well-drained soils, but it dislikes long periods of drought or soils that are too clayey or too chalky. Comfortable in moist but not marshy soils, it has the ability to dry them up. With a very developed root system, caution must be exercised when choosing its location, particularly keeping it away from the foundations of a house, or pipes.