Gum Tree

This densely erect tree when young and more spreading when aged, is a broad leaved evergreen tree, which can grow to a large size of up to 70 to 80 feet with a spread of 20 to 50 feet.

It has attractive smooth, whitish green bark that is shed annually in late summer to reveal yellowish grey-green new bark sometimes flushed pink or orange. The juvenile leaves are ovate to rounded, mid green in colour and often glacous. Adult leaves 2-3 inches long are elliptic or ovate to broadly lance-shaped and grey green in colour.

It is a native of Tasmania where it can often suffer from forest fires and burn to the ground, but it can regrow from the base and with its rapid regrowth quickly re-establish itself.

Eucalyptus gunni is an attractive plant for the garden and with regular pruning it can be retained at a certain size. It also retains those attractive glaucous juvenile leaves. On the other hand if space is not a problem the tree can be allowed to grow to full maturity and reveal all of the attractive characteristics of that stage.

It grows best on a well-drained soil in full sun, sheltered from cold drying winds. It is vulnerable to severe frosts and will certainly not tolerate a wet soil.