Eucalyptus tereticornis (MYRTACEAE) Queensland Blue Gum, Forest Red Gum

Evergreen tree 18–46 m high with straight stout trunk 1–1.8 m in diameter, large and open or fairly dense crown. Bark smooth, whitish, peeling in irregular thin sheets or large flakes, becoming mottled with white, gray, or blueish patches. Native from eastern Australia into New Guinea and Papua. Usually with a short stocking of dark, peristent bark at the base. Koala food tree. Important pollen source for bees. Flowers and fruit attract birds. The coreid Amblypelta cocophaga has been associated with trees suffering dieback. Hollow branches provide nest sites for wild life. At dusk, lorikeets mass in hundreds in the largest trees. The noise and droppings drove The Gap Village to trim the ones out the back of the coffee shop. The lorikeets moved across the road and into Walton Bridge Reserve.

This photo shows the upper section of the persistent collar of bark. Heavy wood is hard, durable, and strong but difficult to work. It is used for fuel, pulp, pilings, fiberboard, and construction, crossties and fenceposts. Leaves contain 0.48–0.66% essential oil, 0–10.4% of which is cineol. The bark and kino contain tannin.

Flowers are in umbels single at leaf base, 2.5–3 cm long including the rounded stalk of 1 cm. Flowers 5–12, spreading on equal stalks on 5–7 mm. Buds 12–16 mm long, 5 mm wide. Stamens many, threadlike, white, 10–12 mm long.

Tolerates drought and light frosts but not acidic soils or waterlogging.