By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on November 8, 2019
A EUCALYPT unique to South-Western Australia is in the last of its bloom at the moment, a sight only seen every few years.
The jarrah tree, also known as Eucalyptus marginata, has been spotted in full bloom in Porongurup and Goode Beach over the past month.
Professor Steve Hopper from the University of Western Australia explained that the tree underwent an unusual flowering pattern that no one quite understood.
“It produces one set of buds each year and aborts it, for some reason,” he said.
“But then once every three or four years it blooms, and we get this spectacular canopy of flowers.”
Professor Hopper began to see the first jarrah tree flowers in late September in part of Torndirrup National Park near Goode Beach and said this week was probably the last week of bloom.
He said the tree played an important role in supporting biodiversity.
“We did a study on the jarrah trees in Kings Park about 10 years ago and found that they attracted approximately 80 different insects,” Professor Hopper said.
“That’s the greatest number of insects seen on a eucalypt.
“You’ll often find ringtail possums and honeybees in them too, and after the flowers pollinate and there are nuts, that will feed red tail black cockatoos.”
If you are quick, you might be able to spot the last of the jarrah tree flowers along Frenchman Bay Road, Austin Road in Goode Beach and along Porongurup Road.
Let us know if you find anymore and upload your snaps to our Facebook page.