Spotted Gum

Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculata) is one of the finest shade trees native to eastern Australia, and the smooth dappled trunk is the reason people plant it. In a garden setting expect around 20m tall and 10m wide, with a straight pale trunk that sheds in patches to leave grey, cream and pink mottling. It grows fast, flowers cream white for the birds, and shrugs off drought and coastal wind.

Why you'll love it

• A trunk worth looking at. The bark sheds to a smooth mottled surface in grey, cream and soft pink, the feature that sets it apart.
• Fast to shade. A young tree gives usable shade years sooner than most large natives.
• Wildlife in numbers. Cream white flowers draw lorikeets, honeyeaters and bees to a mature tree.
• Drought, heat and salt tolerant. It holds condition through dry summers and takes coastal exposure without burning.

Where it works best

Shade tree for a large block. This needs space. Allow 10m of clear width, and because the roots are vigorous, plant well away from the house, pipes, paving and driveways.

Driveways, avenues and windbreaks. Spaced 10m apart along a rural driveway it forms a high, even avenue with the pale trunks lining up, the classic use for the species. A row at 8m to 10m filters wind across an exposed paddock while still letting light through at ground level.

Growing Spotted Gum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and takes coastal salt readily. It tolerates light frost only, so hard frosting tableland and inland southern districts should choose a frost hardy eucalypt instead.

Soil. Adaptable, with a preference for well drained ground. It performs on sandy coastal soil and clay loam alike, but avoid sites that stay wet after rain. No soil improvement is needed beyond loosening a wide planting area.

Water and feed. Deep water once or twice a week through the first two summers, then rely on rainfall in most of its range. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser sparingly in the first two years only, since rich feeding produces weak growth.

Pruning. Formative pruning only, while the tree is small. Select a single leader and remove competing stems and low branches in the first three years to build the clear trunk. After that, leave it to an arborist.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown across a wide range of sizes: tube, 140mm in a pack of 10, 200mm in a pack of 6, 250mm in a pack of 3, then single plants in 300mm, 400mm, 45L and an advanced 200L. Tubes and 140mm plants are seedlings and usually the best value: they root strongly and often overtake larger stock within three or four years. The 300mm and 400mm sizes are the middle ground, while 45L and 200L give real height on day one.

Expect a quiet first season, then a metre or more of growth a year in good conditions. Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare every corymbia we grow
• Choosing trees to line a driveway
• Browse the Australian native tree range
• Advanced trees for immediate height

Common questions

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 15m to 20m, and further from septic lines, stormwater and paving. The roots are vigorous and the mature canopy is wide, so this species belongs on acreage or a genuinely large block.

How fast does it grow?

Fast for a large native. After a settling first year, expect around a metre of height a year in warm conditions with adequate water, slowing as the crown fills out.

Will it drop branches?

Like most large eucalypts it sheds bark seasonally and can drop limbs in storms or drought. Formative pruning when young, plus an arborist inspection every few years on a mature tree, is the sensible approach.

Western Australia: this species has escaped from gardens and naturalised in WA, where it competes with local bushland plants. We do not recommend it for gardens in the south west of WA. Please choose a local alternative.