Browse plants / Myrtaceae
Mottlecah Eucalyptus macrocarpa
Also called Rose of the west
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
Sprawling mallee with silver-grey leaves and the largest flowers of any gum, in brilliant red.
A low, open mallee from the Western Australian wheatbelt. The round, chalky leaves sit tight against the stems, and the huge red flowers, up to 10 cm across, are a magnet for honeyeaters. It needs a dry, sunny spot and dislikes humid summers.
In the garden
- Attracts
- Birds
- Flowers
- Single red flowers up to 10 cm across with gold-tipped stamens.
- Leaves
- Large, rounded, silvery-grey leaves clasping the stems; large woody gumnuts.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy and loam
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
- Climate
- Arid and semi-arid and dry summers (Mediterranean)
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Full sun in well-drained soil. Best where summers are dry; in humid areas give it the sunniest, best-drained spot you have.
Pruning
Little pruning needed. Like other mallees it reshoots from the base, so a tired plant can be cut back hard in late winter.
Care
No feeding needed. Water young trees through dry spells for the first two summers.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Order
- Myrtales
- Native to
- Western Australia
- Natural range
- Sandy heath of the wheatbelt north and east of Perth.
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 macrocarpa 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.