Common Name:
book-leaf malle
Family Name:
Myrtaceae
Botanical Name:
Eucalyptus kruseana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Bookleaf mallee is a small, multi-stemmed mallee-form eucalyptus. It typically grows 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with multiple trunks. The bark is smooth, grey to light copper, often shedding in ribbons. Its most distinctive feature is its opposite, rounded, blue-grey juvenile foliage which are stacked in pairs on opposites sides of the stem, appearing as pages of a book (1). Mature leavesare similar in appearance (reduced heteroblasty) thus, retaining the distinctive hallmark into maturity (1). Leaves are thick, waxy, about 2 cm (1 in) round, and covered in a bluish bloom. Yellow flowers appear in clusters during late winter to spring, followed by woody capsules typical of eucalyptus species (2).
Compound:
euc kru
Geographic Origin:
Australia
Ecozone Origin:
Australasia
Biome Origin:
Semi-arid mallee and shrubland ecosystems
Natural History:
First described in 1895, Eucalyptus kruseana is named in honor of John Kruse, a German-born botanist and pharmacist active in Australia (3). It grows natively in granite outcrops near Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie in Western Australia’s inland regions. . Its growth form (mallee) reflects adaptation to fire and arid climates—plants regenerate from lignotubers after disturbance (1).
Cultivation Notes:
Bookleaf mallee prefers full sun and well-drained, sandy or rocky soils. It tolerates drought once established but responds well to supplemental irrigation. Frost tolerance is good (to about -6 °C / 20 °F), or approximately USDA zone 8b-9a (1). Propagation is typically from seed (2).
Ethnobotany:
Unlike some other eucalypts, E. kruseana has limited traditional recorded use, but eucalypt leaves in general have long been valued by Aboriginal Australians for their medicinal vapors, infusions, and antiseptic properties (3). Today, bookleaf mallee is prized horticulturally for its striking ornamental foliage (2). The leaves are used in cut flower arrangements, and the plant is popular in s a feature shrub in xeriscapes (2).
Height:
16 - 20 feet
Width:
11 - 15 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Winter
Color:
Blue
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
1. Brooker, M. I. H., & Kleinig, D. A. Field Guide to Eucalypts: Volume 2, South-Western and Southern Australia. Bloomings Books, 2001. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
2. Western Australian Herbarium. FloraBase—the Western Australian Flora: Eucalyptus kruseana. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
3. Elliot, W. R., & Jones, D. L. Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation. Lothian, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
