Scribbly gum

How to identify a scribbly gum

The bark is completely smooth and often powdery, mottled in white, grey, cream, yellow or pale orange, and the fresh bark shows bright yellow after the old layer peels away in late spring. It is marked with zigzag scribbles made by the larvae of Ogmograptis moths tunnelling under the bark; each track widens as the larva grows. Adult leaves are usually glossy green and lance-shaped. Small white flowers open from clusters of 7 to 15 buds, mostly in late winter, followed by small gumnuts with a reddish top. Ironbarks, by contrast, have hard, black, deeply furrowed bark.

Growing a scribbly gum in Brisbane

Scribbly gum is a local native of South East Queensland, growing on poor sandy soils of the coastal lowlands and on shallow sandstone or rhyolite soils in the ranges. In a garden it wants full sun, an open position and good drainage. It can be grown as a single-trunked specimen in a lawn or as a multi-stemmed mallee. At 15 to 20 m it suits larger blocks and parks, well away from the house and pipes.

What to watch out for

It grows into a tree of 15 to 20 m, and Unitywater lists large gum trees among plants not to grow near water and sewer pipes, so plant it well clear of services and buildings. The Australian Native Plants Society notes that plants sold as Eucalyptus haemastoma, a smaller Sydney scribbly gum, can turn out to be this larger species, so check the label before planting in a small yard.

Pruning and care

Scribbly gums need little care once established. Prune only to remove dead or damaged branches and to keep clearance over roofs, paths and driveways, cutting back to a branch collar and avoiding heavy topping. If you want a smaller, multi-trunked tree, it can be grown as a mallee. The scribbles are made by moth larvae and are part of the tree's character, so they need no treatment. Big limbs over a roof are a job for a professional with the right gear.

• Tree pruning
• Tree removal
• Tree health assessment
• Storm damage cleanup