General Description:

With about 800 species, Eucalyptus is the second largest genus in the Australian flora and range from medium shrubs to huge forest trees.  The three genera Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora are known collectively as 'eucalypts' and they dominate many Australian landscapes.  They are only absent (or at least reduced in diversity) in rainforests and truly arid environments.

Eucalyptus newbeyi is one of several similar eucalypts, the best known of which is Eucalyptus conferruminata, which is widely cultivated (but under the misapplied name of Eucalyptus lehmannii, a different species).

Eucalyptus newbeyi is a small tree to about 8-10 metres tall, often of mallee habit, with lance-shaped leaves to about 100 mm long. This and the other four related species have very unusual, long, finger-like bud caps (opercula) to about 40 mm long. In E.newbeyi, these are smooth and the flower buds are not fused at the base. The buds occur in clusters of 3 to 9 at the end of a flattened, curved stalk. The buds open to reveal large, yellow flowers about 40 mm in diameter in spring.

E.newbeyi is a very attractive tree for cultivation due to its moderate size and very conspicuous and colourful flowers. As a species native to relatively dry areas, E.newbeyi is best suited to cultivation in climates which have a dry summer. However, it is more adaptable to the more humid conditions of eastern Australia than many other species from the west and is certainly worth a try in most temperate climates. It is tolerant of extended dry conditions once established and is also tolerant of at least moderate frosts.

Propagation is from seed which germinates readily.

* EPBC Act = Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;
ROTAP = Rare or Threatened Australian Plants (Briggs and Leigh, 1988)
For further information refer the Australian Plants at Risk page