Eucalyptus Sideroxylon

Eucalyptus sideroxylon, or Mugga, Red Ironbark or Mugga Ironbark, is a small to medium-sized or occasionally tall tree. The bark is persistent on the trunk and large branches, hard and deeply furrowed, dark grey to black, with upper limbs smooth and whitish.

Adult leaves are stalked, lanceolate to 14 x 1.8 cm, sub-glaucous or dull green, Flowers are white, pink, red or pale yellow from early autumn until mid-spring.

Distribution is wide but sporadic: south-eastern Queensland, widespread on the western slopes and plains of New South Wales south into north-central Victoria.

E. sideroxylon is very conspicuous with its unusually black bark often holding copious quantities of kino. It is a very popular ornamental and street tree, Ferntree gully road in Melbourne has an avenue of Muggas planted. In the wild Muggas grow on infertile soils, often little more than sandy gravel.

A former suspecies, Eucalyptus sideroxylon subsp. tricarpa L.A.S.Johnson is currently regarded as a species in its own right - Eucalyptus tricarpa (L.A.S.Johnson) L.A.S.Johnson & K.D.Hill.