Eucalyptus camphora R.T. Baker

A key to the three subspecies of Eucalyptus camphora, modified from Johnson & Hill (1990b), is provided below.

Eucalyptus camphora could be seen as a high-altitude form of E. ovata, which is less hardy. Both grow in wet ground in their native habitat. Eucalyptus camphora will also tolerate boggy and even flooded conditions in cultivation in southern England, and does not rock in the ground. It is, however, somewhat less hardy when grown in wet conditions than on drier sites (which it also tolerates well). Bean (1981a) recorded that it had been ‘recently introduced’ by R.C. Barnard, and predicted that it should be very hardy. This seems to be the case, although provenance is, as always, important. Trees from the population near Wee Jasper, New South Wales are particularly tough, and have withstood –16.5 ºC in Oregon and resprouted from much lower temperatures in Cincinnati (S. Hogan, pers. comm. 2007).

Eucalyptus camphora is an attractive species, with rounded lime-green leaves when young, often with a slight sinus that gives them a camel’s-foot appearance. Adult leaves are more elongated, and a rich dark green (although material from higher altitudes will often show some glaucescence). The leaves flush reddish, and also turn a good red as they die. It is a rapid grower, some plants in Oxfordshire being almost 9 m after only six years (G. Cooper, pers. comm. 2007), and others in Oregon reaching 13 m in 10 years (S. Hogan, pers. comm. 2007). Despite all these promising signs, however, no older trees are known in the British Isles at present, the current TROBI-recognised champion being 9 m in 2004 at Fox Rosehill Garden, Cornwall. Larger specimens (up to 18 m in Devon) have been recorded in the past.