Elaeocarpus ‘Green Dream’

Elaeocarpus 'Green Dream' (Elaeocarpus eumundii 'Green Dream') is the tall narrow screen tree for a block with no width to spare. It reaches about 7m tall and only 3m across, holds glossy dark foliage from low on the trunk, and pushes bronze new growth several times a year. It is fast, it is an Australian rainforest native, and at that width it screens a two storey window better than almost anything else.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. Roughly 7m by 3m screens an upper storey while sitting comfortably in a 2m bed along a fence line.
• Fast to useful height. One of the quicker natives to give a real screen, so a bare boundary is solved in years rather than a decade.
• It feeds birds. Small cream and white flowers are followed by blue fruit that native birds work through.
• Built for exposure. Wind tolerant, salt tolerant and comfortable in humidity.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row for a solid screen. Closer than that and the trees compete and thin out at the base, which defeats the purpose.

Formal hedging. It clips well and holds as a tall hedge at 3m to 5m with two trims a year, in a far smaller footprint than a lilly pilly.

Driveways and avenues. Stretch the spacing to 3m where the trunks stay visible and the canopies just touch overhead.

Growing Elaeocarpus 'Green Dream' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, densest in full sun. This is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate tree. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens are not suitable, and young trees anywhere want protection through their first two winters.

Soil. Deep, well drained soil enriched with compost suits its rainforest origins. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so mound it on heavy clay and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers. It is not drought tolerant and will want water in extended dry spells even when mature. Feed a controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to encourage the low branching that makes it screen at fence height, then trim after each growth flush for a hedge. On a single specimen, remove only crossing or damaged limbs.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in six sizes: tube stock, 200mm pots in packs of six, 300mm, 400mm, 45L and 100L. Tubes and 200mm plants are single stemmed and often under knee height, and they are the economical choice for a long boundary, taking about three years to screen. The 300mm and 400mm sizes are the usual middle ground, while the 45L and 100L trees arrive with real height and branching. Tube stock is currently on backorder.

Some leaf drop and a little bronzing after transit is normal, not a fault. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Using Elaeocarpus eumundii as a tall screen
• The complete Eumundi Quandong care guide
• Browse tall and narrow screening plants
• Screening plants that reach 4m to 8m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One and a half metres apart in a single row. Each tree spreads to about 3m, so at that spacing the canopies knit into a continuous wall while every plant keeps enough light to stay furnished at the base.

Can I keep it shorter than 7m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it as a hedge anywhere from 3m upwards. It reshoots willingly, so a neglected screen can be brought back into shape without losing density.

Will the roots cause problems near a fence or paving?

The root system is fibrous rather than aggressive, which is part of why it is used along boundaries. Even so, allow about a metre of clearance from hard surfaces and services.