Family:

Myrtaceae

Eucalyptus mannifera

Common Name

Other Names: Snap Gum, White Gum, Snappy Gum

Name Origin:

mannifera — bearing manna (sugary substance exuded from injured stems).

Regional Subspecies:

E. m. subsp. mannifera

Similar Species:

Distinguished from Candlebark (E. rubida) by its juvenile leaves and fruit.

Occurrence:

Regional:

Widespread in the easterly catchments and higher rainfall areas. Predominantly east of the Hume Highway, and southern areas.

Australia:

NSW, Vic.

Habitat:

Open dry sclerophyll woodland. Typically on shallow, rocky, relatively infertile soils.

Habit:

Tree to 20 m high with smooth powdery white, grey or red bark in patches, shedding in short ribbons, plates or flakes. Open crown of dull narrow green to grey-green leaves.

Site Preference:

Well-drained soils. Tolerates frost, moderate snowfalls and drought.

Characteristics:

Tends to lose branches on still, warm days, which produces many hollows.

Flowering:

White, spring-autumn (mainly Feb-Mar).

Propagation:

From seed (± 425 seeds per gram). 25°C is optimum germination temperature.

Regeneration:

From seed, particularly in absence of competitive exotic grasses or weeds, during wet summers.

VALUES:

Shade & Shelter:

Useful medium-level cover in wide windbreaks.

Land Protection:

Useful to revegetate recharge sites to reduce water entering watertable.

Wildlife:

Excellent habitat. Particularly valuable for hollows, important nesting sites for many native birds and mammals, including the Greater Glider and Yellow-bellied Glider. Flowers are a food source for many native insects. Insect-eating birds attracted.

Fuel:

Fair.

Timber:

Little value. Pink, soft, brittle timber.

Ornamental:

Highly ornamental. Responds well to coppicing to obtain multi-stemmed plants.

Other:

Manna (sugary substance) exuded from injured stems was used as sweet_tasting laxative. Leaves produce range of dyes depending on mordants used.