Shining gum - Forest Research

Native range

Native to the mountain ranges of New South Wales.

Provenance Choice

Has been trialled at intervals in Britain and has been found to be cold hardy to about -12°C; any future plantings should use as cold hardy material as can be obtained.

Site Requirements

This is a very fast growing light demanding species with good stem form, can withstand exposure, and produces a high quality fibre. It will grow best on soils of poor to medium soil nutrient regime and fresh to moist soil moisture status (i.e. it prefers wetter sites than cider gum). Not suited to drier or nutritionally very poor soils, to peats or to alkaline soils.

Pests and Pathogens

Phytophthora root rot can occur, but other epidemics of foliar and canker diseases are known. Various Mycospaerella pathogens have proved highly damaging to E. nitens plantations in Tasmania. Mycospaerella juvenis has also proved to be such a serious disease of E. nitens in South Africa that only certain provenances can be grown. The most common disorders of eucalypts seen in Britain tend to be common decay fungi.

Use

This species is cold limited in Britain at the present time, and the range of potential sites is restricted to lowland England or those close to the coast. Climate warming should increase the range of sites suitable for this species.

Shining gum is categorised as a Plot-stage species. These are species that have not been planted on any significant scale but have demonstrated silvicultural characteristics in trial plots and have qualities suitable for forestry objectives to justify further testing and development.