SA scientists plant 11,000 gum trees to test their bad reputation

Gum trees stand tall on a plantation in Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal. (Leandra Moller-Hanekom/supplied)

Scientists from Stellenbosch University are planting more than 11,000 gum trees in a new experiment to monitor how they compete for resources such as sunlight and water.

“A key part of the research is to understand how the trees grow, and it focuses on the eucalyptus group, also known as gum trees or ‘flower bowl’,” says Associate Professor Dave Drew from the University of Forest’s Department of Forest and Wood Science Stellenbosch.

“The gum trees are probably the world’s most widely planted hardwoods and are of great international value as a fiber source and carbon biomass store.”