Eucalyptus sideroxylon

Eucalyptus sideroxylon 
 Mugga Ironbark

This beautiful tree is in flower now and when you approach it all you can hear is the screech from hundreds of parrots which are feeding on the nectar laden flowers. The distinctive feature of this tree is the black furrowed bark which sometimes exudes an amber coloured gum. It is an ideal tree for parks ,streets and gardens as it rarely gets too big (about 15 metres) and does not shed limbs during storms. It will grow in quite poor soils, but in my experience, it does not tolerate coastal exposure and is liable to dieback if salt laden winds are prevalent.