Eucalyptus trees are a beautiful feature of the Australian flora and many properties around Sydney. Within the country, the Eucalyptus tree is believed to cover 77% of the total native forest area. As one of our most common native trees, they are easily identified by their often towering presence, unusual mottled appearance of the trunk and their eucalyptus-green leaves. Apart from their aesthetic appeal, they can offer a lot of shade, provide a pleasant fragrance and are even home to some of our native animals; koalas being the most common. The larger gum trees’ ability to soak up large quantities of water also makes the tree beneficial to help prevent flooding.
Despite this, Eucalypts can be a danger to suburbia as branches can often detach from the trunk and pose a threat to people or infrastructure within its vicinity. These branches have been termed ‘widow makers’ as a result, and need to be carefully monitored and where possible, prevented. Among the vast species that make up the Eucalypt family (more than 800 within Australia alone), there are some species that are more prone to these falling branches than others. The manna gum, river red gum, maiden’s blue gum and yellow box are more notorious for collecting these kinds of branches within the length of the tree.
Employing the services of an arborist Sydney is one of the more simple and effective ways to ensure that the health of your Eucalyptus trees is being maintained, to minimise the risk of falling branches. If you are interested in planting any species of the Eucalypt in your yard, we would recommend planting the bigger and more sizable species at a considerable distance fro your house. We understand that many of the Eucaplytpus trees on your property have preceded your residency there, and you therefore have not had any agency over where they are positioned (or their presence on your property in the first place).
Although there are factors outside of your control that might compromise the health of a Eucalytpus tree (drought, being a primary one), there are measures you can take to make sure that these trees are being looked after. Keeping an eye on the roots and base of the tree is very important, as is keeping the soil surrounding moist. As these trees require a lot of water, depriving them of it can lead to the weakening of the roots and base, which could lead to the collapse of the tree.
Some species of gum trees are protected by the state, so removing them is not as easy as another species of tree might be. Removing any tree from your property without council permission is always against the law, and can incur hefty fines if disobeyed. Removing protected trees and trees classed as endangered will incur larger fines, sometimes amounting up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. We will never go ahead with tree removal if you have not first gained the permission of your local council.
If you are worried about how an existing Eucalypt or planting one on your property might pose a threat to the safety of your household, an arborist Sydney will be able to walk you through the likelihood of a hazard and help you come up with solutions. Contact us today for an arborist report!
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