Southern Eucs Trials Update: 2017's Top Performing Eucalyptus Trees

Posted on June 08, 2017 by Ed Coughlin

Southern Eucs are drought tolerant and tough trees that thrive when temperatures rise. Add a little rain and they color up and grow up quickly in both the green house and the garden!

Recently introduced Southern Eucs ‘Maggie’ and ‘Funky Monkey’ are continuing to show tremendous growth in the Trials gardens. They are resistance to pests and disease, and are maturing into stunning specimens.

https://southerneucs.com/products/eucalyptus-nova-anglica-maggie-eucalyptus-tree

https://southerneucs.com/products/eucalyptus-parvula-funky-monkey-eucalyptus-tree

The record holder in the Southern Euc Trials has to be this 35’ ‘Grace’ planted (from seed) less than 3 years ago.

Check out ‘Grace’s peeling and smooth bark. Sherwin – Williams calls the color “Roman Column”. I call it cool!!!

https://southerneucs.com/products/eucalyptus-elliptica-grace-eucalyptus-tree

Still going through our Southern Eucs Trials and showing consistent, upright growth is Eucalyptus Macarthurii.

Its common name is Camden Woollybutt, reason enough to grow it, but it is also an endangered species in New South Wales.

The leaves and stems are pretty impressive with a sweet fragrance and hints of copper to orange appearing on new growth.

Eucalyptus perriniana, or Spinning Gum, has long been considered one of the most cold hardy of the species (down to -20). It is showing well in its second year in the Southern Eucs Trials.

Still, I’m anxious to see how this sub-alpine species, which grows in areas that are snow-covered for months, will hold up to a hot, dry Southern summer.

Perrinianna’s seed is difficult to source from the coldest provenances, but its potential as a true “specimen” tree are outstanding.

Yes that is the stem growing right through the circular leaves. Not sure how common that is in the horticulture world, but this Master Gardener has never seen it.

Another tree two years into trials is Eucalyptus ‘Crenulata’.