How to Identify Eucalyptus Melliodora

Size

• Yellow box has is medium to large in size with a mature height of 50 to 100 feet in its native range. Trees in cultivation typically grow up to 60-feet-tall with a spread of 26 to 32 feet, developing an overarching canopy when fully mature. The evergreen tree has shallow roots that frequently start to compete with nearby vegetation.

Bark

• Eucaplytus melliodora has a smooth, light yellow or light brown to dark brown bark that may be fibrous to coarse in texture. The deciduous bark starts to peel during late summer and reveals a white to yellowish underbark. The bark usually peels from the upper trunk and branches.

Foliage

• Yellow box foliage is light green to gray green in color. The alternate leaves are narrow and lanceshaped, typical of the trees in the eucalyptus group. The intermarginal vein of the leaves stands out from the leaf edge during all stages of leaf growth.

Flowers

• The tree blooms with white to cream colored, fragrant flowers at various times during the years depending on location. In some areas the bloom time is during spring and summer while in others, the tree produces flowers between August and December. The flowers are followed by seed capsules that stay on trees until next spring. Trees are easily propagated with seed that germinate at 77 degrees F. Eucalyptus melliodora is among Australia's top honey producing trees.

Wood

• The wood of yellow box trees is considered among Australia's premium firewood with its coarse texture and interlocked grain. The highly durable wood is heavy, hard and strong and has been used in heavy duty engineering construction, railway sleepers, fencing and poles. Eucalyptus melliodora lumber is also considered specialty timber in the construction of quality furniture and termite resistance. Tree heartwood is light pink to yellowish brown in color and paler shaded sapwood.