“ I have a big eucalypt (that I love) which drops a lot of debris on my roof. I need to have the gutters cleaned every year and Gutter-Vac Tasmania does a fantastic job. I really like the before and after photos, and the condition report as I don’t go up on my roof. A great service.”
Jane, Lutana Tasmania
The Eucalypts, commonly known to us as a Gum Tree, has over 700 species that are found in our Australian forests, woodlands, shrublands and our urban cities. The only place you will not find them is the most arid deserts. Most of the species is native to Australia and around three quarters of our forests are Eucalypt forests. These trees are resilient to bushfire and adapt and sprout following a bushfire. Their seed can also withstand a bushfire.
The Eucalyptus have bark that is either smooth, fibrous, hard or stringy. It adds a layer every year, shedding the outermost one in about half the species. The bark can shed in large slabs, ribbons or smaller pieces. The rest of the species retain the bark and it dries out and accumulates.
There are some tropical species that lose their leaves in the dry season but nearly all eucalyptus trees are evergreen, retaining the leaves throughout the year. There are four leaf phases in the development of the eucalypt plant: the seedling, juvenile, intermediate and adult phase. In the intermediate phase the leaf is at its most largest and links the juvenile and adult phase but there is no defined transitional point between any of the plants stages. Earlier it was stated, that these trees adapt. Adult leaves are shed for the sprouting of new leaves. This is their defense mechanism against drier times. Whole branches can be dropped with no warning as the branch looks perfectly fine.
The flowers and fruit, commonly known as the gumnut, are the most identifiable features that identifies a eucalypt. The flowers are not your typical flower with petals. They have numerous fluffy stamens that present themselves when the in bloom. These stamens are enclosed in the cap of the nut and come in a variety of colours when they bloom. When the adult foliage starts to appear seems to be when most of the species produce these gumnuts that open to these beautiful native flowers.
We have identified that these Australian icons lose their bark, leaves and whole branches. Maintaining clean gutters when a eucalypt is nearby can be frustrating. There is a constant barrage of debris that fills the gutters and litters the roof.
There are some bush areas of Hobart that if you live there you may need to consider cleaning your gutters two to three times a year to prevent blockages and damage to the roof that rotting litter can cause.
If you are concerned that the debris from gum trees near you are causing you issues, we can provide help. Our teams are trained at heights so we can get on the roof safely to remove the litter. At the completion of each job, we issue a report recommending a schedule of gutter cleans that would maintain the gutters and keep them free of debris to do the job they are intended to do. Gutters are there to move rain water away from the house. They are not debris catchers.
Let the professionals help you.