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Scientific: Eucalyptus sideroxylon (meaning having wood like iron)
Common: red iron bark, pink iron bark, black ironwood
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: Eastern Australia, in open forests of the western slopes and plains of New South Wales, extending into Queensland and Victoria.

Pronounciation: Ewe-ka-LIP-tus si-der-OX-i-lon

Hardiness zones:
Sunset 8-24
USDA 9-11

Landscape Use: Medium to large sized open-canopied tree, light shade, background tree, large street medians, road waysides and freeway landscapes.

Form & Character: A very tough and rugged eucalyptus with an upright form, rugged.

Growth Habit: Evergren, woody broadleaf perennial tree, upright and open canopy to 60 feet (to 110 feet in coastal California) with less than equal spread.

Foliage/Texture: Grey green to glaucous leaves leaves, 4- to 6-inches long, only somewhat falcate, pendulous. The bark is persistent and deep dark brown to black under tinged with red, deeply ridged and furrowed, non shedding; medium texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Clusters of pink, rose to red (sometimes white) eucalypt flowers in fall to winter. Fruits are a capsule, whitish, and clustered.

Seasonal Color: Pink to red flowers in winter.

Temperature: Tolerant of desert heat and cold hardy to 14o to 18oF.

Light: Full sun

Soil: Tolerant of all soil conditions except for when planted and grown in overly irrigated lawn locations where it will occassionally suffer from iron chlorosis (leaf yellowing).

Watering: Drought tolerant, only occasional summer irrigations needed.

Pruning: Raise the crown in order to elevate the canopy base and expose its trunk character, nothing more.

Propagation: Seed propagated, although progeny is normally variable. Stratify fresh seed for 2 months at 40oF before sowing for best results.

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: Red iron bark is one "tough as nails" eucalyptus. It tolerates tough urban desert planting sites much like its tough blue cousin, Eucalyptus microtheca. Once established, red iron bark is a great, low maintenance, large tree for dry, xeric commercial landscapes and streetscapes. Red iron bark has been used in ship building and carpentry. Chipped and shredded red iron bark tree trimmings produce an excellent surface mulch for urban landscapes because of its allelopathic properties that suppress weed growth.