| Karri | |
|---|---|
| Climbing a famous Karri Tree - The Gloucester Tree | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | E. diversicolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Eucalyptus diversicolor F.Muell. |
|
Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the Karri, is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia.
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The tree grows to 90 metres, making it one of the tallest species in the world. It has white to cream bark that changes to brown as it matures and is shed. As the bark is shed the predominantly white trunk takes on a patina of colours from white to grey to deep brown. The botanical name “diversicolor” means “separate colours” and refers to the difference between the top of the leaf and its underside while the common name is derived from the aboriginal name for the tree. The trunk extends straight up with no secondary trunks: occasionally a twin trunk occurs where two trunks of the same diameter grow straight up from the seedling stage. In mature trees branches will be present in the top third of the tree only. The leaves are dark green on top and lighter underneath, and grow to a length of 90–120 mm and 20–30 mm broad. The flowers occur in groups of seven, each flower 18–28 mm diameter. Flowers are cream coloured. It flowers in spring and summer, and flowering is stimulated after fire. The fruits are squat barrel-shaped, 7–10 mm long and 10–15 mm broad, containing numerous small dry seeds.
The soil in which karri grow is often poor, and the tree tends to flower after fire to take advantage of the nutrients released by the combustion of forest litter. The soil is classified Karri Loam. Though low in some minor nutrients it is admired for its depth and pasture-growing properties. The depth of the soil is several metres and thought to be created primarily from the bark shed by the tree, which collects at the trunk base to a depth upwards of six metres in mature trees. The karri supports an extensive ecosystem which is connected to the granite outcrops of the lower south-west and the many subsequent creeks and rivers created from runoff. Karri generally dominate in the deep valleys between granite outcrops surrounding the creeks and rivers.
Karri occurs only within the High Rainfall Zone of the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia. It mostly occurs within the Warren biogeographic region, but there are some outlying populations, of which the most notable is in the Porongorup Ranges.
Karri wood is a beautiful mahogany color, lighter in color than jarrah. It is used extensively in the building industry, particularly in roofs due to the length and uninterrupted knot-free nature of the trunk. It has the reputation of being termite-prone, although it is nowhere near as susceptible to these insects as pine. It is also a great furniture wood. Karri honey is widely sought after for its light color and delicate flavor. Tourism to this area is also supported by the karri.