Euky Dwarf

Euky Dwarf (Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf') is the gum tree for gardens that cannot take a gum tree. It settles at about 6m tall and 4m wide instead of the 15m plus of the straight species, so you get pale smooth bark, pink blossom and honeyeaters on an ordinary suburban block. It establishes fast and shrugs off frost, drought and heat.

Why you'll love it

• Small enough for a real garden. At roughly 6m by 4m it suits a front yard or a driveway line without swallowing the block.
• Pink flowers that bring birds in. Nectar rich blossom pulls honeyeaters and lorikeets in through the cooler months.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil, so it holds up where fussier trees sulk.
• Quick, useful shade. Fast growing, with an open canopy that casts dappled light, so you can still plant underneath.

Where it works best

Feature tree in a small garden. One specimen in a lawn gives the character of a gum at a workable scale.

Driveways and avenues. Allow at least 5m between trees so each crown has room to fill out evenly along the run.

Shade and windbreaks. It is wind tolerant, so a staggered row filters wind across an open boundary.

Growing Euky Dwarf in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean, arid and semi-arid and subtropical gardens, and being frost hardy it takes cold inland and southern districts in its stride. The wet tropics are the one place to choose something else.

Soil. Undemanding and poor soil tolerant, but it wants drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound. Keep the backfill lean and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then taper right off. A low phosphorus native fertiliser once in early spring is plenty; overfeeding makes soft growth that breaks in wind.

Pruning. Very little. Shape it in the first two years and remove any twin leader early so the tree carries one strong trunk. Eucalypt roots are vigorous, so keep it clear of pipes and paving.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, and single 300mm and 400mm plants. The smaller pots are young whips, often knee high and unbranched, and the sensible buy for an avenue, because young eucalypts catch advanced stock within a few seasons. The 300mm and 400mm plants arrive with a defined leader and real height.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet first month, then strong growth from the second spring. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider Australian native tree range.
• Compare options in small trees for urban gardens.
• Best trees for lining driveways covers spacing and setbacks.
• Bird attracting natives to plant alongside it.

Common questions

Is it safe to plant under power lines?

At around 6m it usually stays below residential lines, which is why it is often chosen for street planting. Check clearance rules with your network distributor, and never plant directly beneath the wires.

How close can I plant it to the house?

Give it at least 5m. The canopy only spans about 4m, but this is not one of the non-invasive rooted trees, so keep it away from slabs, pipes and retaining walls.

How fast does it grow?

Fast for a eucalypt of this size, with most of the height gained in the first four or five years before it slows and thickens. Water through the first two summers and it gets away quickly.

Does it drop bark and leaves?

Yes. It sheds leaves and strips of bark all year, more heavily in late summer, so it is not the tree for a pool edge. In a bed the litter becomes mulch.