Learn about local eucalypts and their defining features

There are about 60 species of eucalypt in the Mid-Western Regional Council area. How many can you identify?

Eucalypts have a reputation for being difficult to identify. A ubiquitous feature in the higher rainfall regions of the country, the dominance of eucalypts lends a ‘sameness’ to our landscape. But once you look past the sameness, and start to notice the subtle differences in the eucalypt plant, you are well on the way to recognising some of the botanical characteristics vital in attempting the identification process.

The appearance of eucalyptus bark varies with the age of the plant. The bark can be smooth, rough, long and stringy or fibrous, it can completely cover the trunk and limbs or only the lower parts of the tree. The way the bark sheds can also provide clues; does it come off in large slabs, ribbons or small flakes?

Eucalypt leaves also change over a tree’s lifetime. The contrast between juvenile and adult leaf phases is a valuable feature in identification.

The reproductive parts of eucalypts provide distinctive features that aid in identification. The flowers, woody fruits or capsules, and the seeds themselves, vary in colour, size and shape and can be useful to distinguish between species.

Want to learn more about some of our local eucalypts and their defining features?

Watershed Landcare will be hosting a workshop on Eucalypt Identification on Friday, 27 September at the Cooyal Pub.

Join local ecologist, David Allworth, for a hands-on workshop to increase your eucalypt identification skills. David will take participants through the botanical characteristics to look for to allow successful identification, focusing on fruits, buds, leaf characteristics, including juvenile and mature leaves, and bark.

Using these key characteristics people will be introduced to a simple computer program that helps identify eucalypts of the Mudgee district. A nationwide identification computer program will also be available for people to try.

The Eucalypt ID workshop will be held at 6:30pm on Friday, 27 September at the Cooyal Pub. Admission is free, with dinner provided. All welcome but please register for catering purposes by Monday, 23 September to Agness Knapik, Watershed Landcare Coordinator, on 0435 055 493 or by email:info@watershedlandcare.com.au.

This event is supported by Wateshed Landcare through funding from Landcare Australia and Michael King.