The Blue Mountain gum trees are found in the Blue Mountains mountain range in New South Wales state of Australia, about 90 kilometers west of Sydney. The mountains are relatively easy to get to with Sydney’s public trains. It takes about three hours of travel each way. The Blue Mountains is home to the famous Three Sisters mountain peaks and the Katoomba Falls.
The Blue Mountain gum tree is uniquely able to survive in the mountain range making it one of the few trees that are commonly found in the range. These trees are able to adapt to the little rainfall that happens in the mountains, with vertical leaves that reduce evaporation and an ability to grow despite the nutrient-poor soil.
The Blue Mountain gum also provides habitat, food (through nectar, leaves and seeds) and shelter for many native animals and insects. The gum trees also are responsible for giving the Blue Mountains their signature blue haze. The “blue” tint over the mountains is because the Blue Mountain Ggum tree leaves release an oily mist that covers the landscape.
One of the biggest threats to the Blue Mountain gum trees are pests such as gum tree skeletoniser and fungal dieback. The trees can also be vulnerable to habitat loss due to the building of cities and farm land, however this is not an issue for trees found within the national park, which is a protected piece of land. While the trees themselves are in a stable standing as a species, there are concerns over the effects that climate change will have on the region as a whole.
