Eucalyptus odorata

Eucalyptus odorata, commonly called peppermint box, is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree in the Myrtaceae family, endemic to south-eastern Australia, with populations in Victoria, South Australia and southern New South Wales. It typically grows 6 to 15 metres tall, often with a short, somewhat crooked trunk and a spreading crown. The bark is persistent on the trunk and larger branches, dark grey to greyish-brown, finely fibrous and box-like, shedding from the smaller upper branches to reveal smooth pale grey or cream wood beneath. Adult leaves are alternate, lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate, 6 to 13 cm long, glossy green on both surfaces and strongly peppermint-scented when crushed. The inflorescences are axillary umbels of seven small white flowers on short, slender stalks; flowering occurs in late summer and autumn. The fruits are small cup-shaped or hemispherical capsules 3 to 6 mm wide with the valves enclosed or only slightly exserted. It grows on dry, often skeletal soils in open woodland.