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Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton
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'Eucalyptus rodwayi' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
Tree to 25 m. Bark compact, grey, rough and fibrous or with white, flaky patches on the trunk and larger branches; smooth and white above. Branchlets red. Juvenile leaves sessile or petiolate, lanceolate. Adult leaves thick and glossy green, 5–12 × 1–1.5 cm, lanceolate, falcate, lateral veins indistinct, margins entire, apex acute or obtuse; petiole terete, 0.7–1.4 cm long. Inflorescences simple and axillary; umbellasters with 7–11 flowers. Flower buds ovoid or spindle-shaped; hypanthium 0.3–0.4 cm wide; stamens white or cream. Capsule hemispherical or conical, 0.3–0.4 cm diameter; valves three to four, flush or partially exserted. Chippendale 1988. Distribution AUSTRALIA: Tasmania (central and east). Habitat Swampy valleys. USDA Hardiness Zone 8. Conservation status Not evaluated. Taxonomic note Very similar to E. aggregata, but with more flowers in the umbellasters. Some seed sources in the United Kingdom consistently supply E. aggregata seed instead of true E. rodwayi (Gum Group 2007).
Eucalyptus rodwayi is regarded as being very hardy and tolerant of a range of conditions that can be challenging for eucalypts, including calcareous soil. It is capable both of withstanding drought and of growing in wet ground, and can form a good potted specimen. Part of this adaptability may be due to its having strong lateral roots rather than a tap root, and it is said to be able to tolerate root disturbance (Gum Group 2007). It will develop into a substantial tree, its canopy formed by short, stiffly held and rather thick leaves. Young plants have survived well at Lullingstone Castle, and there are good big trees throughout the British Isles, including notable specimens at Kew and at Westonbirt. It does particularly well in Ireland, where there are good trees of over 20 m at the John F. Kennedy Arboretum, and the current champion is 24 m (59 cm dbh), at Mount Usher (TROI/TROBI).