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Trees

Eucalyptus camaldulensis

river red gum

Fast-growing, evergreen tree about 20-30m tall, endemic to south east Australia. Bark is smooth, white, grey or cream with patches of yellow-green, grey-green or pinkish-grey, and occasionally rough black bark accumulates at the base. Broadly lance-shaped, blue-green juvenile leaves to 18cm long become lance-shaped, mid-green, or blue-green adult leaves to 30cm long. Umbels of white flowers appear from mid-winter to late summer, followed by ovoid woody fruit

Other common names

Murray red gum

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Plant nurseries
3 suppliers

Ultimate height

Higher than 12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Myrtaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Eucalyptus are evergreen trees or large shrubs, often fast-growing, some with attractive bark, most with aromatic foliage, and clusters of small, white, yellow or red flowers
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Australia

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile neutral to acid soil in full sun with shelter from cold winds. Grow tender species outdoors in mild or frost-free counties only. See eucalyptus cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed at 13-18°C in spring and summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Coastal
Mediterranean climate plants
Sub-tropical

Pruning

Pruning group 1, or for the best display of juvenile foliage use Pruning group 7. See Eucalyptus: pruning for more detailed advice

Pests

May be susceptible to eucalyptus gall wasp and eucalyptus sucker

Diseases

May be susceptible to silver leaf, oedema and honey fungus

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