Image - Flickr / dan.kristiansen
El Eucalyptus gunnii it is an evergreen tree that can look great in a garden. Although it is a eucalyptus, it is interesting to cultivate it. Yes, in a garden. And it is that any plant, regardless of the species to which it belongs and / or its characteristics, as long as it is in the right place will be able to beautify the place.
In fact, one of the most important things we have to do before choosing trees is to get to know them, and I don't mean just knowing their height or their rate of growth, but also their needs for light, water and nutrients. So let's get to it: find out how he is Eucalyptus gunnii.
How is it?
Image - Flickr / shirokazan
El Eucalyptus gunnii It is an evergreen tree known as gunni, cider eucalyptus or blue eucalyptus, which can reach a height of 25 meters. It has a straight and robust trunk, with very long branches that extend to the sides. The leaves are elliptical or ovate, bluish-green in color and measure approximately 7 centimeters long by 2 centimeters wide when the plant is an adult; when young they are rounded and bluish. Blooms in summer and it does so by producing white flowers towards the upper half of some branches.
It grows naturally on the island of Tasmania, in the southwest of the Australian continent; in fact, it is an endemic species there. It has a very fast growth rate when moisture and space are available, and when the weather is favourable, 1-1,5 meters/year.
What is?
El Eucalyptus gunnii used as a decorative tree, often as an isolated specimen, or as a bonsai. But it also has another use: the sap when bottled and allowed to ferment, is said to taste similar to apple cider, which is why it is known as cider eucalyptus.
How do you take care of yourself?
To have a blue eucalyptus, several things must be taken into account, which are: needs moisture, but not too much; that is to say, it could not live in a swampy terrain for example. In addition, it is difficult for it to adapt to those soils that are compact, preferring sandy ones with good drainage.
And having said that, let's see in detail what its needs are so that we can have a healthy and beautiful tree in the garden:
Location
It is a plant that must be grown outside. It is highly recommended that it be exposed to direct sun from an early age, but it can also live in semi-shade. Its roots will be longer as it gains height, so before planting it in the ground we will have to find a place where there are no pipes about ten meters around so that problems do not arise when they grow.
Earth
Prefers sandy, well-drained soils.. It can be grown in a pot for a few years, and even forever if it is pruned regularly. In these conditions we recommend putting a light and fertile growing substrate, which retains water but also filters it at a good rate, such as this one that you can buy here, which contains perlite.
Irrigation
Image - Wikimedia / Wouter Hagens
Do you know how often you have to water the Eucalyptus gunnii? The frequency of irrigation must change throughout the year: in summer you have to water it more times a week than in winter, because the temperatures are different and therefore, the soil does not take as long to dry. If it is also grown in a pot, we will have to be more aware of irrigation because the substrate will remain dry for less time.
Usually you have to water a couple of times a week., except during the rainy season when we will have to space out the irrigations more. Thus, we will prevent the plant from suffering from excess water, a problem that would cause root rot.
Subscriber
Potted eucalyptus should be fertilized regularly during the months when temperatures are 18ºC or higher. You have to think that the amount of land you have is limited, and therefore the nutrients it contains as well. From the first moment we plant it in a pot, the roots absorb them, and if we don't pay, the day will come when it runs out of nutrients. If that happened, the plant would stop growing and become weak.
For this reason, it is advisable to pay it with fertilizers or liquid fertilizers, following the instructions for use. For example, universal fertilizer (for sale here) or organic fertilizers such as guano (for sale here) will keep you healthy and looking good.
Pruning
At the end of winter, dry branches can be removed, as well as those that have grown a lot can be trimmed.
Transplant
El Eucalyptus gunnii can be repotted in springevery two or three years. When you want to plant in the ground, it will also be done in that season.
Multiplication
It multiplies by seeds in spring. Place them on the surface of the substrate, separated from each other (in fact, it is preferable that you do not put more than two in the same pot, since otherwise not all of them would survive) and pour a little soil on top of them.
They will take about a month or two to germinate, depending on how new and viable they are.
Rusticity
It is a tree that withstands frost down to -14ºC and heat up to 40ºC if you have at your disposal.
Image – Wikimedia/Wouter Hagens // E. gunnii 'Silver Drop'
What do you think of Eucalyptus gunnii?