White Tamarind

White Tamarind (Elattostachys xylocarpa) is an Australian dry rainforest tree that behaves itself in a garden. It settles at around 8m tall and 5m wide over ten to fifteen years, holding a dense rounded canopy of glossy evergreen leaves. Cream flowers give way to orange capsules that split to show black seed, and the birds clean them up.

Why you'll love it

• Shade at a garden scale. A 5m canopy shades a courtyard, a car space or a patio without the reach of a 15m forest tree.
• Evergreen and dense. The canopy stays full year round, so it screens a neighbouring window in winter as well as summer.
• A local tree that earns its place. Native to eastern Australia, it feeds fruit eating birds and suits a native planting scheme.
• Handles real conditions. Humidity tolerant, wind tolerant and drought tolerant once established, which is a rare combination in a rainforest species.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 3m apart for a dense screen. At that spacing the canopies knit into a continuous green wall at first storey height within about five years.

Shade and courtyard planting. A single tree suits a suburban backyard where a larger native would overwhelm the space. Allow 3m clearance from the house.

Driveways and avenues. Space at 5m along a drive so each crown develops its natural rounded shape, and lift the lower branches once the trunks are established.

Growing White Tamarind in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with full sun giving the densest canopy. It grows well in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and copes with coastal humidity. It takes light frost only.

Soil. A deep, free draining soil enriched with compost is ideal, though it accepts most garden soils that are not waterlogged. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers, which is when a rainforest species is most vulnerable. After that it is genuinely drought tolerant. Feed with a controlled release native fertiliser in early spring.

Pruning. Very little is needed. Remove any competing leader in the first few years for a strong single trunk, and lift the lower branches only if you want clearance beneath. For a screen, tip prune the outer growth to thicken it.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in 45L, a solid advanced size. Trees arrive with a formed trunk and a branched head, usually well above head height, so a screen row starts with real presence rather than a line of sticks.

New growth flushes coppery bronze before hardening to deep green, which surprises people expecting a fault. Some leaf drop after transit is normal. Growth is steady rather than rapid, with useful height from the second year. 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, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare options in our Australian native tree collection.
• Choosing a canopy tree for real shade.
• See more bird attracting plants.
• Browse advanced trees for instant height.

Common questions

How big does it really get?

About 8m tall and 5m wide in a garden over ten to fifteen years. In its natural dry rainforest habitat it can exceed 20m, but cultivated trees in open ground rarely approach that.

How far apart for a screen?

Three metres apart in a single row. Closer planting does not close the screen faster and simply puts the trees into competition for water.

Will it handle frost?

Light frost only, and only once established. Young trees need protection through their first two winters, and hard frosting inland or southern gardens should choose a hardier species.

Is it messy over paving?

It drops leaves steadily rather than all at once, plus seed capsules after flowering. No worse than most evergreens, though a paved entertaining area wants a metre or two of clearance.