Want to identify trees on your property?

The North Coast region has over a hundred species of gum trees (Eucalyptus), bloodwoods (Corymbia) and apple trees (Angophora), many with numerous common names. It can be an exciting challenge working out what’s on your property, so where should you start?

Firstly, you’re going to need good samples (or photos) of the leaves, bark, flowers, buds and fruit. The fruit is the hard capsule that contains the fine seed. You should also note the form or shape of the tree.

It is not possible to find flowers or fruit on the tree all year round, but fallen fruit or flowers can sometimes be found on the ground immediately under the tree that you want to identify.  Don’t search too far from the tree as you may pick up fruit from another species.

If you find some fruit, then note the size, shape, any specific characteristics and how they are clustered or situated together. Binoculars are useful to see fruit or flowers in the canopy.

Don’t worry if you can’t find any fruit as gum trees often have a unique bark and growth form. For example, Flooded gums (Eucalyptus grandis) are usually very tall with a straight, smooth, whitish bark and a short, rough ‘stocking’.

Adult leaves found on mature gum trees, and bloodwoods typically have an alternate arrangement while apple trees (Angophora species) are generally opposite. When you hold a leaf against a light source oil glands become visible. It’s these oils that produce the distinctive fragrance familiar to us.

Young gum trees or saplings are another useful way to identify mature trees in the area. Saplings may look very different from the mature tree but will have characteristics specific to that species.

The best way to accurately identify trees is to use a range of features.

The trick is to use a range of features to identify the tree accurately. A useful identification web site is Euclid – the Eucalypts of Australia at apps.lucidcentral.org/euclid/text/intro/index.html.

Alternatively, call the Land Management team in North Coast Local Land Services, they’d be happy to help.