cultivation, though it often grows too large for home gardens. It has been used as a street tree, and is useful in public areas with wet soils. It can grow very quickly in cultivation and flower profusely. It can flower in its third year of growth in cultivation in optimal conditions, and its timing makes it an important source of food during autumn and winter. Birds are attracted to its flower heads. However, in some years its leaves are infested with lerps and detract from its appearance. A row of E. robusta was planted at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney in 1813, and the trees are still healthy. A cultivar with variegated leaves, E. robusta "Green and Gold" was commercially available in 2005 in Australia. It is smaller than the wild form, reaching in height. Eucalyptus robusta is widely grown from equatorial to temperate regions, tolerating a wide range of climates and conditions. Its fast early growth and tolerance for waterlogging have rendered it a useful tree to grow. It has been widely grown in plantations outside Australia, including Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Fiji, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan—Republic of China, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, and the United States of America, where it has been grown in Hawaii, southern Florida, southern California and Puerto Rico. Introduction to Florida took place around 1880, Hawaii around 1885, and Puerto Rico in 1929. The tree is used for firewood and as charcoal in many countries, in erosion control, on sand dunes and as a roadside shade tree in many places, and in Uganda is used to drain swamps. Plantation crops are harvested after 4–5 years for fuel wood, 8–10 years for pulp wood, 15–20 years for poles and 30–60 years for logs for sawing. In cultivation, E. robusta grows to altitudes of , withstanding average minimum temperatures of and maxima of . The heartwood is extremely durable and resists marine borers. It is used as a round timber for construction of wharves and fencing. The wood is light reddish brown in colour and coarse-textured. The weight can vary widely between individuals and stands, averaging 38 pounds per cubic foot. Gallery References External links robusta Myrtales of Australia Trees of Australia Flora of New South Wales