Eucalyptus urnigera is putting on a show of delicate, spidery flowers near the Fountain.
Eucalyptus urnigera (or the urn gum) originates from the mountains of Tasmania, where it grows at altitudes between approximately 600 and 1000m above sea level. It can reach 15m in height and has shaggy white, red or brown bark. The newly emerging leaves are grey and rounded in shape, and mature to an ovate or obovate shape. The flowers appear to be a mass of stamens, which are shed once pollination has occurred to reveal a woody, urn-shaped capsule. This specimen was coppiced following damage, and the new juvenile growth and delicate flowers are now readily accessible. The genus Eucalyptus contains 900 species which occur mainly in Australia, but also in New Guinea, the Philippines and Indonesia. Outside their native range they have been widely grown to stabilise soil, but also as a crop for the production of timber, firewood and pulp, and for the extraction of essential oils. They are highly regarded for their ornamental value.