The Snow Gums Trees found in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, Australia are ancient trees that have been around for centuries. These alpine trees, scientifically known as Eucalyptus pauciflora, are primarily found in the mountains of southeastern Australia and dominate subalpine woodlands at altitudes where tree growth is limited. Snow Gums Trees are commonly known by other names such as cabbage gum, white sally, or snow gum. These trees are a species of mallee or tree that are indigenous to the eastern region of Australia.
The tree boasts of a sleek bark, with leaves that have a shape that ranges from lance-shaped to elliptical. Additionally, it has flower buds that come in clusters of about seven to fifteen, with white flowers and a cup-shaped, conical, or hemispherical fruit. It is typically found in wooded areas that are cold and have an altitude of at least 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) above sea level.
The Eucalyptus pauciflora is a tall tree or mallee with a lignotuber that can grow up to 20-30 meters in height. Its bark is smooth and can come in white, grey, or yellow hues, and sometimes has insect scribbles. The leaves of young plants and regrowth are broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped and have a dull bluish-green or glaucous color. They can range from 44-170 mm in length and 20-85 mm in width.
The foliage of mature plants appears lustrous and maintains a consistent hue of green on both sides. The leaves vary in shape from straight to curved or elliptical, measuring between 60 to 200mm long and 12 to 50mm wide. These leaves taper towards a petiole that ranges between 8 to 33mm in length.
The blossoming flower buds are clustered in leaf axils, usually consisting of seven to fifteen buds or even more. They grow on an unbranched peduncle, which measures approximately 3 to 15mm in length. The individual buds are attached to the peduncle with pedicels that can reach up to 6mm long.
The buds that have reached maturity have a shape similar to an oval and measure around 4 to 8 millimeters in length while their width ranges between 3 to 5 millimeters. These buds come with a conical or rounded operculum and bloom from October until February, bearing white flowers. The fruit produced by this plant is a woody capsule that resembles a cup in shape. It can either be conical or hemispherical in appearance and measures around 5 to 11 millimeters in length and width.
