Swamp Gum, Eucalyptus regnans

 

Swamp Gum


A giant with many names: Swamp Gum or Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) are just two of them. In fact, members of this species are the tallest flowering plants of the planet. Their natural habitat is in Victoria and Tasmania, but one will have problems today to find a fully grown specimen. In fact, after growing hundreds of years, many of them were quickly logged and still are getting logged, sometimes the loggers call such an event "accidentally" - something that may certainly happen with a tree of more than 80 metres. In fact, only few of these giants are left. This picture does not show at all what the impression is like. The platform is already in some metres hight. I cannot describe what it feels like to look up to it. And I have no idea what kind of people are still able today to kill it for some Dollars.

Ridiculously enough, a plate informs the visitor proudly, all Australian trees over 85 metres were protected by law. I think, Australia is the only place on the planet with such a demand. Only few species in only few places in the world are able to reach such a size - anyway none native to Europe.

This certain tree can be found along the road to Hartz NP in Tasmania. Get there, before the logging industry of Tasmania turns it into woodchips. After that, you would have to be satisfied with the young regrowth of some 10 or 20 metres - not yet worth logging.

Mountain Ash, Eucalyptus regnans
Huge Swamp Gum, Eucalyptus regnans
Logged Mountain Ash, Eucalyptus regnans

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by IKO