European Nettle Tree

The European nettle tree (Celtis australis) is a broad deciduous shade tree for hot, dry, difficult sites. It grows to around 12m tall with a 9m spread, casting real shade in summer, then turning buttery yellow and dropping its leaves to let winter sun back onto the house. Few trees combine that much canopy with this tolerance for drought, heat, wind and poor soil.

Why you'll love it

• Deep summer shade, winter light. A dense 9m canopy cools a yard through the hottest months, then clears completely once the leaves drop.
• Honest autumn colour. The foliage turns clean buttery yellow before it drops, a longer show than most shade trees of this size manage.
• It tolerates sites that kill other trees. Drought, heat, wind and compacted or poor soil are all within its range, which is why it is a standard street and park tree overseas.
• Quick to make a difference. This is a fast growing species, so an advanced plant delivers usable shade in years rather than decades.

Where it works best

Shade trees. Give it 8m to 10m of clearance from the house and other large trees. Anything less and you will spend the tree's life cutting back a canopy that wants 9m of width.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 8m to 10m apart along a drive or entry road for a continuous canopy. Wind tolerance suits open rural approaches where softer trees tatter.

Feature planting. On acreage a single specimen makes a strong seasonal marker, green through summer and sculptural through winter.

Growing the European nettle tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of room. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid gardens, and being frost hardy it is comfortable in cold inland districts. It is not the tree for tropical or wet subtropical gardens.

Soil. Genuinely adaptable, including poor, rocky and compacted ground. What it wants is depth for the roots rather than richness. Mulch 75mm deep out to the drip line, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, after which it becomes drought tolerant and needs very little. A complete slow release fertiliser each spring for the first few years builds the canopy faster.

Pruning. Formative pruning in the first three winters sets a single leader and a clear trunk to the height you want. After that, only remove damaged or crossing limbs while it is bare.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this tree in four sizes: 400mm and 500mm pots, and 45L and 100L containers. The 400mm and 500mm trees arrive as slim young stems needing a stake for their first year, while 45L and 100L plants carry a formed trunk and the beginnings of a canopy.

Being deciduous, it may arrive bare in winter, which is normal and often the best time to plant. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best canopy trees for creating shade
• Browse the full deciduous tree range
• Compare trees for driveways and avenues
• Choosing trees to line a driveway

Common questions

How big will it actually get in a garden?

Around 12m tall and 9m across. That is a genuine large tree, so it needs an open block or acreage rather than a standard suburban courtyard.

Does it drop fruit and make a mess?

It carries small dark fruit that birds work through, and leaf drop in autumn is heavy by nature. Both are worth planning for if you are planting over paving or a pool.

Will it grow in a hot inland town?

Yes. Heat, drought, wind and poor soil are all within its tolerance, and it is frost hardy through cold inland winters, so it performs where softer shade trees struggle.