Pink Bloodwood

Pink Bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia) is an eastern Australian native shade tree that reaches around 15m tall with a canopy about 8m across. It grows fast, carries heavy heads of cream white flowers that honeyeaters and native bees work through, and holds up in poor soil, salt air and humidity. For a paddock or a large block that needs real shade rather than decoration, this is a serious tree.

Why you'll love it

• Genuine shade, quickly. Fast growth and a broad 8m canopy mean useful shade in years rather than decades.
• A wildlife tree. Cream flowers feed honeyeaters, lorikeets and native bees, and the rough bark supports insects that in turn feed smaller birds.
• Tough where it counts. Poor soil, drought, coastal salt and high humidity are all handled once the tree is established.
• A local native. Indigenous to eastern Australia, so it belongs in a native planting scheme rather than sitting awkwardly in one.

Where it works best

Shade trees on large blocks. Give it space. Allow at least 8m of clearance from the house, and keep it well away from pipes, paving and driveways, because the roots of a tree this size are not ones to plant near services.

Windbreaks and shelter belts. A staggered double row filters wind across a paddock better than a solid line does, and the tree copes with the exposure.

Driveways and avenues. On rural entrances it makes an imposing avenue, provided each tree has room to reach its full 8m width.

Growing Pink Bloodwood in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, including coastal sites, and it takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland districts, the tablelands and cold southern gardens are outside its range.

Soil. Undemanding, including sandy and low fertility ground, provided water drains away. Dig a wide hole rather than a deep one, and mulch 75mm deep well clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers to send roots down, then it looks after itself. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring while it is young, and stop feeding once it is away.

Pruning. Formative pruning only, in the first few years, to establish a single leader and lift the canopy. Mature eucalypts should not be lopped, and work at height is a job for a qualified arborist.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes are grown: 200mm plants in packs of six, single 300mm plants, and advanced 45L trees. The smaller stock is young and slender, which is the better buy for a eucalypt, because it roots out faster and often overtakes an advanced tree within a few years. The 45L option is there when you want height from day one.

Plants are delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Stake young trees loosely, if at all, so the trunk can flex and thicken. Be realistic about the litter a large eucalypt drops. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing canopy trees for shade
• Browse the full corymbia range
• Compare Australian native trees
• See more fast growing shade trees

Common questions

How big does it really get in a garden?

Around 15m tall and 8m wide in cultivation, which is a large tree by suburban standards. Plan for the mature size at planting rather than the size in the pot.

Is it safe to plant near the house or pipes?

No. The roots of a tree this size are not suited to planting near pipes or paving, so keep it well out on the block and leave generous clearance from any structure or service.

How fast does it grow?

Fast once the roots are established, particularly in warm humid districts with summer rain. Growth is slower through the first year while the root system develops.