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Swamp Gum

Lowland Leadbeater’s Possum and Helmeted Honeyeater feed on the flowers of this species, which flowers at a different time from the Mountain Swamp Gum. This overlap of flowering time provides food across an extended period for these creatures.

Small to medium tree, 20 m tall. Bark is variable, dark and rough at the butt; upper trunk and branches peel in ribbons.

Leaves

Juvenile leaves are short-stalked, almost circular. Adult leaves are thick, glossy, dark green, ovate shaped, usually has a wavy edge.

Flowers

White cluster of 3 - 10 (often 7).

Fruits/Seeds

Usually cone-shaped with a flat top.

Field Guide

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  • Species Category: Plants
  • Species origin: Native
  • Conservation status: Common

  • What to Observe

    • First fully open single flower

    • Full flowering (record all days)

    • End of flowering (when 95% of the flowers have faded)

    • No flowering

    • Fruiting

  • When and Where

    When To Look

    • Flowers March to November

    Where To Look

    • Widespread in south-eastern Australia
    • Coast to foothills, especially on soils poorly drained in winter, alluvial flats, valleys, flat areas

  • What Else?

    Similar Species

    E. camphora is smaller with smaller fruit and a less upright form.

    E. strzleckii and E. bunyip are distinguished by glandular (secretory structure on the surface, smooth, shiny, bead-like outgrowth) leaves, discolourous (leaf sides are different colours) juvenile leaves, and glaucous (blue-green colour) new growth of adult leaves.

    E. brookeriana is distinguished by the glossy green, minutely scalloped (repeated convex curved pattern), glandular, discolourous juvenile leaves.
  • Trails: Ecolinc Bacchus Marsh VIC, Haining Farm VIC
  • Species Region: Australia