Cass

Eucalyptus Gunnii

Cider Gum; Tasmanian cider tree

• 
  Bright light
• 
  Boldly scented

• Cass likes...
  • 
    A sunny spot

    She’s a sun-lover, so give her the brightest spot available. She’ll be ok in a dappled spot, but not full shade.

  • 
    Moist soil

    Give her a good drink about once per week – more in very hot weather. She likes her soil to stay moist.

  • 
    Shelter

    She’s not a fan of strong wind, so try to put her somewhere that’s sheltered from stiff breezes.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Eucalyptus gunnii

  Nicknames

  Cider gum; Tasmanian cider tree

  Plant type

  Outdoor evergreen

  Plant height (including pot)

  20-30cm

  Pet/Baby safe?

  Mildly toxic to pets

  Nursery pot size

  17cm

• About Eucalyptus gunni

  Like all eucalyptus, this plant smells wonderful. Pinch one of those silvery-grey leaves and you’ll release that cool menthol smell. It’s also very popular in flower-arranging, especially at Christmas. Snip off a few stems and bring that lovely fragrance indoors.

  If you were to encounter eucalyptus gunnii in the wild, you’d probably be in Tasmania and you’d probably be looking up, because it can grow to a height of around 35m. It could get that tall in the UK if you left it to its own devices, but it’s easy to keep it small in a pot. Just prune it when it starts getting too big.

  This species of eucalyptus has become popular in the UK because it does really well in cold weather. In Tasmania, it can be found growing on the side of mountains, which has given it the ability to cope with temperatures well below freezing. So if you’re in a part of the country that gets very cold winters, this is the outdoor plant for you.

  Did you know?

  Indigenous people in Tasmania use the plant’s leaves to make a fermented drink called way-a-linah. No, we don’t have the recipe.