Plant Profile

Botanical Name: Eucalyptus spp.

Common Name:

• Flowering Gum • Blue Gum tree • Eucalipto • Eucalyptus • Fever tree • Lemon Eucalyptus • Okaliptus • Silver-leaf Ironbark

FAMILY NAME: Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)

Species and cultivars of special interest: Eucalyptus cassia (red flowers with gold tips), Eucalyptus ficifolia (pale pink to red flowers)

734 Eucalyptus species and 3 hybrids

Origin: Australia

Availability: All year round

Foliage Characteristics: Nearly all eucalyptus are evergreen but some tropical species lose their leaves at the end of the dry season. The leaves on a mature eucalyptus plant are commonly lanceolate, petiolate shapes.

Floral Characteristics: The most recognisable characteristics of eucalyptus species are the distinctive flowers and fruit capsules or gumnuts. Flowers have numerous fluffy stamens which may be white, cream, yellow, pink or red; in bud, the stamens are enclosed in a cap known as an operculum which is composed of the fused sepals or petals or both. Therefore the flowers have no petals, but instead decorative themselves with the many showy stamens.

Special features and characteristics of special interest: As in other members of the myrtle family, eucalyptus leaves are covered with oil glands an essential oil extracted from eucalyptus leaves contains compounds ( when steam distilled) they can be used for cleaning and as an industrial solvent, as an antiseptic, for deodorising, and in very small quantities in food supplements, especially sweets, cough drops, toothpaste and decongestants. It has insect repellent properties too. Koala’s and some Possums are relatively tolerant of it. For koalas, these compounds are the most important factor in leaf choice. Eucalyptus flowers produce a great amount of nectar, providing food for many pollinators including insects, birds, bats and posums.

Eucalyptus was introduced from Australia to the rest of the world following the Cook expedition in 1770. Collected by Sir Joseph Banks, botanist on the expedition, it was then introduced to many parts of the world, California, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Ethiopia, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa.

Maintenance, Cultural requirements and Post Harvest Treatments: Most species of eucalyptus originate in Australia, where they are not subject to many insects or disease problems. Eucalyptus has been transplanted to many other climates, an environmental dispersal that has caused a rise in fungal diseases. Eucalyptus grown where humidity is too high or rainfall is consistent shows a susceptibility to fungal spores. To minimize the spread of fungus, trees should not be watered from overhead, as overly damp leaves cause fungi to bloom. Eucalyptus should have plenty of space around them to increase air circulation, which dries the foliage. Don't plant eucalyptus in sites where previous plants had fungal issues, as the spores can remain viable in soil. Pruning is useful for opening the canopy to increase sunlight and kill the spores. On smaller plants, prune infected material and clean up any dropped plant debris.

Pests : Steel-blue, sawfly larvae, scale insects, lerp-forming psyllids and eucalypt gall’ Disease: Pythium debaryanum (water mould) Armillaria lebubalia (fungus root rot) Most species of Australian grown eucalypt are not prone to disease and pests. They flourish in the Australian climate.

Use In Floristry: Cut stems 2-3cm with secateurs and change water every 2 – 3 days Do not put in cool room

Customer advice: Cut or purchase when the flowers look fluffy and are half to to three quarters open. Re-Cut stems 2-3 cm from the stems ends, using sharp secateurs. Lightly crush the stems after re-cutting. Remove all water that will sit below waterline. Use a preservative. Cut flowers will last 5 days in ideal conditions.