Narrow Leaved Peppermint

Narrow Leaved Peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii) is the gum to plant when you want genuine shade without a heavy, dark canopy. It reaches about 10m tall and 6m wide, with fine willowy leaves that hang in a soft weeping curtain and give off a clean peppermint scent when crushed. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and quick to establish, it is one of the most adaptable shade trees we grow.

Why you'll love it

• Dappled shade, not a blackout. The narrow pendulous leaves filter light rather than blocking it, so lawn and understorey planting still work underneath.
• Peppermint scented foliage. Crush a leaf and the scent is clean and minty, which is where the common name comes from.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, so it holds up where softer trees fail.
• Cream blossom that brings in birds. Honeyeaters and lorikeets work the small white to cream flowers through the warmer months.

Where it works best

Shade over lawn and outdoor living. At roughly 10m by 6m it covers a decent stretch of yard. Keep it 8m from the house and well clear of pipes, paving and septic lines, as you would with any eucalypt.

Driveways, avenues and windbreaks. Space trees 8m apart along a drive for an even rhythm. On a rural block a staggered double row at 6m spacing filters wind instead of stopping it dead.

Growing Narrow Leaved Peppermint in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with room overhead. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens, and its frost hardiness makes it one of the better gums for the tablelands and cold inland districts. It is less at home in the humid wet tropics.

Soil. Poor soil is fine and rich soil is unnecessary. What it wants is drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and break up the sides of the hole so roots can move out.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then it largely looks after itself. One application of a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring is plenty, plus 75mm of mulch kept clear of the trunk.

Pruning. Prune while the tree is young to a single leader and take out competing stems, since that is what prevents weak forks later. After that, lift the lower branches only for clearance.

What to expect when it arrives

This tree is supplied in 45L and 90L, both advanced sizes with a formed trunk and a canopy already showing the weeping habit. The 45L is the practical choice for a row; the 90L gives you height on day one.

Trees this size travel staked and wrapped, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Some leaf drop in transit is normal rather than a fault. Water deeply twice a week for the first month, then weekly, and expect strong new growth within six to eight weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing trees for a driveway or avenue
• Browse the Australian native tree range
• Compare fast growing shade trees

Common questions

How close to the house can I plant it?

Allow at least 8m from the building, and the same again from pipes, paving and septic systems. Eucalypt roots follow moisture, and a tree of this size has the reach to find it.

How much frost will it take?

Plenty. It is genuinely frost hardy once established, which is why it performs in tableland and cold inland gardens where many gums struggle. Shelter the trunk of a newly planted tree through its first winter.

Does it drop a lot of leaf and bark?

Yes. Like every eucalypt it sheds fine leaf and strips of bark year round, so it is a poor pick over a pool or gutters. Over lawn or a garden bed the litter breaks down as mulch.