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Scientific: Eucalyptus leucoxylon
Common: white iron bark (common U.S. name), yellow gum, Tasmanian yellow gum, red flowering gum (more common names in Australia)
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: Open forest and woodland in western Victoria, South Australia and southwestern New South Wales, Australia.

Pronounciation: Ewe-ka-LIP-tus lou-COX-i-lon

Hardiness zones:
Sunset 8-24
USDA 9-11

Landscape Use: Medium-sized open and variably upright tree, light shade, great for residential areas, narrow commercial spaces, street medians, or other small spaces.

Form & Character: Strongly upright, open and sleek (smooth white when brown phellum sheds) and somewhat refined evergreen variably small to large tree.

Growth Habit: Evergreen, woody, broadleaf perennial tree, moderate and open variable height from 20 to 80 feet with less than equal spread.

Foliage/texture: Grey green leaves, 3- to 6-inches long, falcate, trunk shedding to become smooth and very >WHITE (white), yellow or bluish color; medium texture.

Flowers & fruits: White, cream, pink, mostly red flowers during fall to winter; fruit is a capsule.

Seasonal color: None

Temperature: Heat tolerant, cold hardy to 14o to 18oF.

Light: Full sun

Soil: Tolerant

Watering: Moderately drought tolerant.

Pruning: Elevate canopy base and expose trunk character.

Propagation: Seed

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: Surprisingly, white iron bark is little used in Phoenix landscapes even though its bleached white and smooth trunk is wonderful and it's locally fully environmentally tolerant. In my opinion, once established, white iron bark is one of the best medium-sized eucalyptus trees for Phoenix landscapes.

There are six recognized subspecies of E.leucoxylon. They are:

  1. subspecies bellarinensis - small and shrublike mallee with fibrous, grey bark at the base and a smooth white upper trunk.
  2. subspecies leucoxylon - has a typical form, but with cream-colored flowers.
  3. subspecies megalocarpa - has a smaller growth habit and large fruit. This is often available under the horticultural name 'Rosea'.
  4. subspecies petiolaris - has bell-shaped, ribbed fruits and juvenile leaves with long stalks.
  5. subspecies pruinosa - has grey juvenile leaves and fruits.
  6. subspecies stephaniae - has a mallee (shrub like) habit.

Minor factoids: In Australia, an essential oil from the leaves is used as a food flavoring in baked goods, ice cream and sweets. The species epithet 'leucoxylon' comes from the Greek for 'white wood'.