Family Myrtaceae
Originating from Tasmania
- A striking, evergreen tree with round, silver-blue juvenile leaves and oval adult foliage.
- White summer flowers complement and are a valuable source of pollen for all pollinators.
- Hardy, fast-growing, and versatile, it thrives in any soil in full sun.
A garden all-star, Eucalyptus gunnii, the Cider Gum, blends rugged charm with flair. Its dense, silver-blue rounds shift to oval grey-green leaves with age, borne on glossy red-flushed shoots. This Urban Jungle gem, a mainstay of our stock, hits 12m tall and 8m wide in 15-20 years if unpruned.
Prized for adaptability, it morphs from instant hedge to specimen tree effortlessly. Coppice or prune hard for floristry-loved regrowth, or let its peeling, cream patchwork bark shine. Our usually available semi-mature plants deliver instant hedging and screening, perfect for windbreaks in Norfolk and Suffolk’s coastal areas.
Care Tips for Eucalyptus gunnii
- Soil & Sun: Grows in any soil; full sun for best vigour, tolerates part shade
- Planting: Planning hedges depends on your patience—the closer they are spaced, the quicker they will screen. Planning to grow it as a specimen tree? Give it space and plant at least 8m from buildings, staking young plants in exposed positions. Light tip-pruning will help its crown stay compact while it roots firmly.
- Watering: Keep moist while young, then drought-tough once rooted
- Pruning: Tip-prune in late March to promote bushy, compact growth, before vigorous growth begins. More drastic pruning should be carried out in September, well before frosts.
Bold and fragrant, Eucalyptus gunnii brings Tasmanian zest to East Anglia’s gardens. It’s a must-have for instant hedging or specimen drama. It can even be grown in large pots and raised beds if regularly tip-pruned. See it at Urban Jungle Suffolk, near Beccles, grown as both specimen trees and windbreak hedging.
Planting suggestions for the Cider Gum
One of the hardiest Eucalyptus we can grow in the UK, it is invaluable for providing an architectural framework for gardens. A common misconception is that they cannot be underplanted. However, if you make a plan for the size of crown you want and limit its growth, this need not be the case. Limit its crown size, and you’ll limit the root growth.
Some species are exceptionally tolerant of root competition and can be planted right underneath eucalypts. Cordyline australis, Cordyline ‘Jive’, and all phormiums like Phormium ‘Black Velvet’ and Phormium ‘Yellow Wave’ are just a few examples. Yuccas such as Yucca gloriosa ‘Bright Star’, Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’, and Yucca baccata will thrive once established beneath a Eucalyptus crown.
Choose other antipodean species such as Pseudopanax ferox, the Ironwood, from New Zealand (see our magnificent specimen in the display gardens at Costessey) to exploit the unique look of plants from down under. Acacia retinodes blue-leaved, Acacia melanoxylon, and Cordyline ‘Torbay Dazzler’ are just a few examples of our wide range of Australian, New Zealand, and Tasmanian stock.
For further reading on Eucalyptus gunnii visit: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Eucalyptus+gunnii
