Browse plants / Myrtaceae
Cider gum Eucalyptus gunnii
When it flowers
- January, flowering
- February, flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, flowering
Very cold-hardy Tasmanian gum with round silver juvenile leaves and smooth, peeling bark.
From the Tasmanian highlands and one of the most frost-hardy eucalypts. Young plants have round, silvery-blue leaves; adult leaves are longer and greener. It can be cut back regularly to keep the juvenile foliage, which florists prize.
In the garden
- Attracts
- Birds and pollinating insects
- Flowers
- Small cream flowers in clusters of three.
- Leaves
- Round, silver-blue juvenile leaves, becoming longer and grey-green; smooth bark peeling in strips.
Growing conditions
- Climate
- Temperate and cool and alpine
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy, loam and clay
- Drainage
- Copes with occasional wet
- Frost
- Hard frost
- Water
- Some dry spells
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Full sun in cool climates. Copes with damp soil, frost and snow; struggles in hot, dry areas.
Pruning
Can be coppiced (cut to near the ground every few years) to keep it small and full of silver juvenile leaves.
Care
Water in long dry spells, especially in warmer areas. No feeding needed.
Safety
Large gums can drop branches without warning, especially in hot, still weather. Keep it well away from houses, driveways and play areas.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Order
- Myrtales
- Native to
- Tasmania
- Natural range
- The Central Plateau and highlands of Tasmania.
Where to buy
Specialist native nurseries.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Eucalyptus gunnii on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.