About

Eucalyptus salmonophloia, commonly known as salmon gum, wurak or weerluk or woonert or marrlinja. is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and thirteen, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

The species was first described by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1878 in his book Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae using samples collected by Ernest Giles from near Victoria Springs, located approximately 200 km (120 mi) east of Kalgoorlie in the Great Victoria Desert.

Where it grows

Found in large woodland communities, E. salmonophloia is found in the southern Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It exists in the following IBRA regions: from the Geraldton Sandplains in the northwest extending south in the Avon Wheatbelt and into the Jarrah Forest region. The range extends through the Murchison, Mallee, Esperance Plains and Coolgardie regions as far east as the Great Victoria Desert. In western areas there are only remnant populations, extending from the York and Northam areas south to around Jerramungup, mostly as a result of agricultural practices. Eastern occurrences are far less disturbed and extend as far as Cundeelee to the north around the Mt Gibson area and to around Salmon Gums to the south. The tree usually dominates these communities, forming a sparse upper canopy. Found growing in broad valleys, plains and low hills in areas that receive as little as 250 millimetres (10 in) of rain per year, it grows in alkaline loamy soils, red clay loam, red clay and red sandy soils, often with gravel.

Uses

The timber produced by E. salmonophloia is noted for its durability and is used to make railway sleepers and mining shaft supports. Historically, the mining industry cut down the tree to use for construction and as a fuel source, and along with two acacia species it is credited with allowing the development of the goldfields. It had advantages as a fuel in that it could be burned immediately in boilers, unlike other hardwoods that had to be dried for months before burning. The ash was also thought to contain more potash than other woods. In 1922 Western Australia's forest department promoted the very dense timber as the second strongest in Australia. It is still commonly used for wood fires and makes excellent firewood. It is an excellent species for rehabilitation areas and for areas requiring soil stabilization as it is drought tolerant, frost resistant, fast growing and able to grow in poor soils.

Other Eucalyptus plants

Eucalyptus abdita · Badgingarra Box · Wattle Leaved Peppermint · Powder Bark Wandoo · Woolbernup Mallee · White-mahogany · Lakefield Coolibah · Wellstead Mallee · Eucalyptus aenea · Welcome Hill Gum · Blue-leaf stringybark · Black Gum