Silver-leafed Ironbark.

Eucalyptus melanophloia
FAMILY: MYRTACEAE

This tree is now in flower at Federation Park in Drayton Connection Road. The photo shows its masses of small, nectar-laden flowers, and its unusual leaf habit.

Unlike most other (and all other local) Australian Eucalyptus species, adult trees have opposite leaves rather than alternate ones. You can see that the leaves are also “sessile” (which means that they have no stems).

This is one of our prettiest local eucalypts, as well as possibly the smallest. It has been known to grow to 20metres high, but in our district we usually see it as a smaller tree, growing no higher than 10 metres.



It is one of the most suitable for gardens. Besides being relatively small, it is a tidy tree, as gumtrees go. Like most ironbarks it is reliable about not dropping large limbs.

Its flowers are rather small, but produce a reliable nectar flow, which makes it a good honey tree.

It has a reputation for being very resistant to the stresses of being used as a cattle camp. Some Eucalypts die younger than they should, unable to cope with many years of soil compaction resulting from heavy use of their root zones by large heavy hoofed animals, and the over-fertilisation of those nice shady areas under trees where stock rest (and excrete) on hot days.



This sturdy tree is ideal for planting in pastures and in paddock-edge planting strips intended as windbreaks or wildlife corridors.

In the wild, it tends to grow on ridges and slopes because it likes at least moderately good drainage. It is happy to grow on most local soil types including black soil, although it doesn’t like the very heavy black soil of the plains.

It is very hardy to drought, and testing has established that it tolerates frost to at least -5°.