Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney, Australia

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW

Eucalyptus agglomerata

Myrtaceae

Blue-leaved Stringybark

There are more than 800 species of eucalypt found across Australia. They are our second largest group of flowering plants.

Description

The Blue-leaved Stringybark grows 20-30 m high. Its bark, which is grey over red-brown is thick, fibrous and stringy. The white flowers occur in groups of 11 or more and appear from March through to August. The round, woody fruits crowd together in a ball shape.

Where it is found

This Stringybark occurs on valley slopes in woodlands and forests on the central and southern coast, and on the central tablelands of New South Wales, extending south to the north coast of Victoria.

Uses

  • The bark was used by the Aboriginal people of the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system to make canoes (Turbet 1989).
  • Sydney’s Aboriginal people prepared twine for fishing nets by rolling the fibres of soaked bark against their thighs and twisting two strands together; the fishing net was a mesh of large loops without knots. Fishing liens were made from bark strengthened by soaking it in a solution of the Geebung (Persoonia laurina) bark in water. The soaked bark was pounded between rocks, two strands of the fibre were rolled tightly together, and the line soaked in the sap of the Red Bloodwood (Eucalyptus gummifera) to prevent fraying (Turbet 1989).
  • The bark from stringybarks can also be used to maks huts, shields and water carriers.

Eucalyptus agglomerata
Aboriginal people of the Sydney area used bark from the Blue-leaved Stringybark (Eucalyptus agglomaerata) to make canoes. Their word for eucalpts is yarra. Photo: Tony Rodd in the lower Blue Mountains area.

Eucalyptus-agglomerata
Eucalyptus agglomerata: leaves, buds and leaves, fruit, habit.
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