Hot Threads Mallee

Hot Threads Mallee (Eucalyptus erythronema 'Hot Threads') is a small Western Australian gum for gardens that cannot take a full sized eucalypt. It reaches about 4m tall and 3m wide with the multi stemmed mallee habit, carrying clusters of red and pink flowers with long thread like stamens against smooth pale bark. Honeyeaters find it within a season.

Why you'll love it

• A gum tree that fits a suburban block. At 4m by 3m you get eucalypt character without the scale or limb drop of a forest tree.
• Flowers you actually see. Red and pink blooms sit at eye level, rather than 20m up where most gum flower is wasted.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought, heat, wind and poor soil are all tolerated, and it is frost hardy once established.
• Serious wildlife value. Nectar rich flowers bring honeyeaters, native bees and butterflies into the garden.
• Handsome bark and form. Smooth pale trunks and several stems from the base give it structure year round.

Where it works best

Feature planting in small gardens. A single plant makes a focal point in a courtyard or front garden. Allow 3m of clear width.

Screening and windbreaks. Plant 2m apart for a screening row. At that spacing the multi stemmed habit fills the lower half, where most eucalypt screens go bare. For a rural windbreak, a staggered double row at 2m filters wind.

Dry and low water gardens. It sits well with grevilleas, banksias and gravel mulch in a garden where lawn has been removed.

Growing Hot Threads Mallee in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. This is a warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid plant, at home across southern and inland Australia. Be honest about humidity: it struggles where summers are hot and wet, so humid eastern coastal gardens are a poor match whatever the drainage.

Soil. Excellent drainage is not negotiable. Sandy, gravelly and poor soils are ideal, and low phosphorus suits it. On clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse sand worked through, and use a gravel mulch rather than a fine one.

Water and feed. Water fortnightly through the first summer to establish, then only in extreme dry spells. Feeding is rarely necessary; if you do, use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring.

Pruning. Little is needed. Tip prune young plants to encourage several stems, and remove damaged wood after flowering. Mallees reshoot from a lignotuber, so a plant cut back hard will return.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this one in a single size, tube stock. Plants arrive young, usually 15cm to 25cm tall with a single slim stem, which is how eucalypts are best planted: small trees establish faster and stand better, because the roots are never checked.

Plant into a free draining spot and water it in well. Expect slow progress for a few months while roots go down, then rapid growth, reaching 1.5m to 2m by the end of the second year. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider Australian native tree range.
• See our picks for native plants with red flowers.
• Compare other drought tolerant plants.
• Find companions in our bird attracting collection.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Two metres apart in a row. Closer than that and the stems compete and thin out at the base, which defeats the purpose of using a mallee.

Will it work in a humid coastal garden?

Probably not. It comes from a dry Mediterranean climate and resents hot wet summers, so gardens on the humid east coast tend to lose plants to root problems.

Are the roots invasive?

Far less than a large eucalypt, but it is still a gum. Give it 3m to 4m of clearance from pipes, tanks and slabs.

Is it frost hardy?

Yes, once established it handles frost well, which suits inland and southern gardens. Protect young plants through their first winter.