Eucalyptus melliodora aka Yellow Ironbark

Eucalyptus melliodora, or yellow box, is in the myrtle family. Its native home is eastern Australia. It ranges from southeast Queensland to Victoria, including New South Wales. It grows on gentle slopes in open woodland. These sites have cool, wet winters and dry summers. Its home range has both temperate and subtropical climates.

This tree grows fast and has a rounded crown. It is evergreen, keeping its leaves all year. Its reported height is 49–98 feet [15–30 metres]. Its straight trunk can reach 3.3 feet [1 metre] across. The trunk forms about one-third to half the tree's height. When young, it forms a lignotuber near its base. This is a woody swelling that holds buds. Bees and other insects help its flowers set seed through pollination.

Give yellow box a sunny site where water drains well. It prefers soil that stays moist but does not stay soaked. Soil with a fair amount of nutrients suits it. It can also grow in poor soil. Sand, loam, and clay all suit this tree. It grows best in soil close to neutral. It also copes with slightly acid or slightly alkaline soil. Once it has settled in, it can cope with drought. In its home range, months may pass without rain.

Cold limits its use in British gardens. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 9–11 for it. That source suggests outdoor trials only in Britain's mildest areas. Useful Tropical Plants says dormant trees have survived about 19°F [-7°C]. New growth is much less hardy. Cold around 32°F [0°C] can harm it badly. Shelter and local weather thus affect whether it survives winter. Plants For A Future says to shield young trees during their first winter.

People grow yellow box for timber and for its looks. Some towns plant it along their streets. Its pale yellow wood is hard, strong, and long-lasting. The wood has a close grain and makes good fuel. Plants For A Future lists no known food or medicinal uses. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known hazards for this species. Plants For A Future warns about eucalyptus oils as a group. This warning does not show that this species is toxic. The evidence gives no pest or disease details for this species.