Evergreen Trees

How to choose an evergreen tree

Mature height is the decision that cannot be undone, so make it first. For small gardens and spaces near the house, Little Gem Magnolia at 4m to 6m, Luscious Water Gum and the compact bottlebrushes give year round foliage without ever threatening the roofline. In the 6m to 10m band sit the great all rounders: Tuckeroo, Weeping Lilly Pilly, Ivory Curl Tree and lemon scented myrtle. Above that, Brisbane Box, hoop pine, Moreton Bay fig and the larger eucalypts are genuine landscape trees for acreage, parks and wide verges. Then decide on purpose: a row of Weeping Lilly Pilly for screening, a single Golden Penda or wattle as a flowering feature, or a broad canopied fig for shade you can sit under.

Evergreen or deciduous

Evergreen wins wherever the tree is doing a job that cannot stop: screening a neighbour, hiding a shed, softening a fence. The trade off is winter shade. A deciduous tree on the north side of a house lets winter sun through, so many gardens do best with both, evergreens on the boundary and a deciduous feature near living areas. If you are weighing it up, our guide to evergreen versus deciduous trees in Australia works through the decision room by room, and the deciduous tree collection holds the other half of the argument.

Where these trees work in Australia

The native backbone of this collection is the reason it travels so well. Tuckeroo, Brisbane Box, water gum and the paperbarks handle coastal wind and sandy soil from Queensland around to Perth. Pohutukawa (Metrosideros) is the front line seaside choice, shrugging off direct salt spray. For frost prone inland and southern gardens, evergreen magnolias, water gum, hoop pine and most eucalypts and wattles are reliable, while the tropical figs and Golden Penda are best from Sydney north. Every product page lists a climate match, so check it against your region before you buy.

Roots, boundaries and common sense

Evergreen does not mean invasive, but a few of the giants here earn respect. The large figs (Moreton Bay, Hills Weeping, small leaved) belong on acreage, a minimum of 10m from structures, pools and pipes. For planting near paving, driveways and services, Tuckeroo, water gum, lilly pillies and Little Gem Magnolia are the well behaved choices. As a rule of thumb, plant any tree at least as far from the house as half its mature canopy width.

Planting and establishment

Dig the hole twice the width of the rootball and no deeper, so the trunk flare sits at ground level. Backfill, water in with 20L to 40L, then mulch 75mm deep keeping mulch off the trunk. Water deeply twice a week for the first summer, weekly for the second. Stake advanced trees loosely for the first 12 months only, with two stakes and soft ties, so the trunk can flex and thicken. Feed with a controlled release native safe fertiliser each spring. Most evergreens here put on 50cm to a metre a year once established, and the fast natives considerably more.

Common questions

Do evergreen trees drop any leaves?

Yes, all trees shed. Evergreens drop a portion of old foliage year round, heaviest in spring as new growth pushes through, rather than all at once in autumn. Expect some raking, just never a bare tree.

What is the fastest evergreen tree for privacy?

Among trees, Weeping Lilly Pilly and Brisbane Box are quick, at up to a metre a year with water and feeding. Plant screening rows at 2m to 3m spacings. If speed matters more than tree form, hedging shrubs and bamboo close a gap sooner.

Which evergreen trees suit a small garden?

Little Gem Magnolia, Luscious Water Gum, Ivory Curl Tree and the dwarf bottlebrushes all stay under about 6m and have compact, non invasive roots. Our small trees for urban gardens collection gathers every option under one roof.

Can I buy a mature evergreen tree rather than wait?

Yes. Much of this collection is available as advanced container stock from 45L to 400L, and selected varieties as ex ground trees at several metres tall. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and everything is delivered Australia wide with our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.