River Red Gum was grown from a seed produced by a tree planted by Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Perth, Australia, in 1954
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, have planted a River Red Gum at Kings Park in Perth, Australia, to commemorate the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The tree was grown from a seed produced by a tree planted by HM Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Perth in 1954.
The River Red Gum (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis) is an iconic Australian tree that can grow to 45 metres tall and when matured has a smooth bark, ranging in colour from white and grey to red-brown which is shed in long ribbons.
The Queen's tree from 1954 is to the right of the entry to the War Memorial Concourse at Kings Park. To the left of the entry, is a tree planted by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1962.
Ms Gillard acknowledged the symbolism of the tree planting and dedicated the seedling as a legacy for the city and people of Perth for hosting CHOGM 2011.
The River Red Gum is one of the most widely planted eucalypti in the world. Other Commonwealth countries which have eucalyptus plantations include Kenya, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka.
