Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) is a medium sized tree growing up to 30m in height, its trunk is about 1/2 the height of the tree and to 1m in diameter. The bark is rough on the trunk, sometimes loose and flakey, grey-brown or black-brown in colour. The smaller branches are cream or white and branchlets are sometimes waxy. Adult leaves are bluey-green to grey green, juvenile leaves are blue-ish.
The tree grows in January, putting on new buds most seasons. The flowering period is from November until January, but most trees flower at the sametime in a district. Buds form on a peduncle from the leaf axils in groups of 7. The flowers are white but Yellow Box doesn't produce pollen that is suitable for the honey bee to use, causing brood raising problems. The fruit are pear shaped, about 5-8mm x 5-8mm.
Yellow Box is very widespread in Victoria from Gippsland to the Northern, North-Eastern and Central districts even Eltham in Melbourne. The wood is pale yellow, strong, durable and heavy. It yields nectar well when its roots are dry and the weather is hot, and produces a first class honey.
