Smells like mangoes
A pioneer species, tall tree, buttressed, growing to 40 metres. Branchlets aromatic when broken, exuding a clear mango scented sap. Like the mango, it is in the Anacardiaceae family but not considered edible. New growth exhibits pink-red stems and mid veins. Trunk is often flanged or buttressed at the base in large trees. The bark is brown, usually wrinkled and finely scaly. Handsome, bird-attracting, fast-growing and very hardy tree, ideal for a large garden or park. Compound alternate leaves, pinnate, glossy, the rachis bearing 4 to 10 alternate or sub-opposite leaflets, not toothed, 5-10 cm long, drawn out into a long point at the tip, asymmetrical at the base. No true terminal leaflet. Leaves are glossy dark green upper, dull light green lower, elliptical or egg shaped, 5-10 cm long. Pink or white flowers, in large terminal panicles, or springing from the forks of the upper leaves. Sepals five, brown, smooth, very small. Flowering period mainly October to December. Black, scented fruit, obliquely egg shaped (like a small mango), up to 9 mm in diameter. Seed, one, obliquely egg shaped, 5 mm long. Fruit ripe December to January. Euroschinus from Greek euros, the east wind, and schinos the mastic tree, probably referring to it as an easterly schinus, falcata from Latin meaning sickle-shaped because of the curved leaves. Although its wood resembles Red Cedar it is woolly, difficult to work and not durable. A favoured wood for brake blocks on bullock wagons in the old days. Also known as White or Pink Poplar, Maidens Blush Wood, Blush Cudgerie, Mango Bark, Port Macquarie Beech, Jemmy Donnelly, Punburra, Kokare.
Photo: Robert Whyte
Seed collecting and propagation
Gloves are recommended due to caustic sap. Black, scented fruit, obliquely egg shaped (like a small mango), up to 9 mm in diameter. Seed, one, obliquely egg shaped, 5 mm long. Fruit ripe December to January. Ensure fruit is fleshy and mature. Remove flesh from seed with blender. Avoid contact of fruit flesh with skin. Rinse thoroughly before sowing. Germination is slow and usually erratic.
Fruit. Photo: Mark Marathon CC BY-SA 4.0
Tubestock. Photo: Robert Whyte
