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immobilus

Keeping a Eucalyptus Small

immobilus
11 years ago

Hello:

This question has probably been asked 100 times, but I've been growing eucalyptus gunni (cider gums) from seed. The pictures that I had seen showed a tree about eight feet tall with beautiful blue foliage. I've come to learn that the blue foliage only appears on new wood (easy enough to handle) and that the tree gets incredibly big with very invasive root systems. I've heard of polyurethane root barriers. I was wondering if these are strong enough to tame the roots of a cider gum, but also if I got one that was restrictive enough to act like a pot (like an in-ground bonsai) whether it would maintain the tree at a small height, e.g. 10 feet or so. Pruning the old would off to grow more new wood for the blue foliage is easy enough - but I want the tree to stay small.

Otherwise, is there a way to stunt the tree's growth, specifically to keep the trunk diameter reasonably sized? Or should I scrap the whole idea and just keep it potted?

Thanks.

Comments (19)

  • WxDano
    11 years ago

    Every single plants species on the planet has a genetic predisposition to a particular size range. Nothing humans can do to change that.

  • eahamel
    11 years ago

    I've had a eucalyptus tree before. It got about 50' tall in just a few years, and had no branches in my reach. I don't know how tall it would have gotten if I hadn't cut it down - some get 200' or taller. I cut it down because it was too close to the house and would be a bad fire hazard because the oil in it makes it explode, and burning pieces go everywhere when it burns.

    You can't stop it from getting large, that's its nature. Fall in love with something else if you don't have a lot of space for it. yes, they're great looking trees, but you can't keep them contained.

  • immobilus
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I love the color of a cider gum. The blue foliage is gorgeous. I have crape myrtles in my yard, a Hong Kong orchid tree, butterfly bush, tecoma stans, lantana, but I want a small tree with unique colored foliage.

    I have some western redwood seeds I am currently soaking, but I understand those are slow growing and difficult to get to germinate in my climate. Tucson, zone 9a.

  • WxDano
    11 years ago

    I have some western redwood seeds I am currently soaking, but I understand those are slow growing and difficult to get to germinate in my climate. Tucson, zone 9a.

    ?!

  • eahamel
    11 years ago

    Good luck with those redwood seeds. Not only are they difficult to germinate, they're exceedingly difficult to grow in Tucson.

  • immobilus
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Redbud, I meant.

  • flora_uk
    11 years ago

    Back to the Eucalyptus gunii - these have been widely planted in the UK and a lot of people are now finding themselves living with giant trees. Where there is space old specimens do become very attractive with gnarled trunks and peeling bark. But an awful lot are getting the chop. You can grow it as a coppiced shrub or pollarded tree in which case it will produce attractive, rounded, blue grey, juvenile foliage much used by florists, rather than the long, less colourful adult foliage.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Eucalyptus gunii

  • Edymnion
    11 years ago

    I actually planted one in a large container with the intention of making a bonsai out of it. Just chopped it back a few days ago. Was half way worried that such a drastic pruning would kill it, but its putting out new shoots already.

    If you want it for the foliage, I would greatly recommend going this route. Even if you don't want to chop it back into an actual bonsai, put it in a large tree container (they sell nice plastic ones at walmart pretty cheap these days) and keep it trimmed down to a glorified hedge.

    Just remember to repot it every 2-3 years, give it a good root trim, the normal stuff, and you should be fine. If you let it go wild though, yeah, you're going to have a MONSTER of a tree on your hands.

  • davidlmo
    10 years ago

    Five types of Eucalyptus are suggested for Bonsai, so maybe one of these would be a good candidate to grow outdoors and keep manageable??

    archeri
    coccifera **
    nicholi **
    parvula
    vernicosa **

    These are also suggested as houseplants - but I have no ** experience. See for example:

    http://www.blueram.net/eucalyptus/homepage.asp

  • salicaceae
    10 years ago

    There are many smaller Euc species, some are commonly grown in Arizona - they include E. cinerea, E. neglecta, E. parvula, E. perrineana, E. nicholii, E. polyanthemos, E. camphora and many others. If you look into this, you can find one that has just the foliage you want and stays small. Some are even mature at about 2 m tall and have awesome foliage and flowers!

  • davidlmo
    10 years ago

    That is good to know. I am in Zone 5b so they wouldn't last full time outside - I think :-)

    I am growing 2 types for Bonsai.

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    10 years ago

    Yes, just find a smaller growing species.

    I've seen E. parvula form a nice smaller tree.

  • wisconsitom
    10 years ago

    I just read up on this species-for my own edification. Had to chuckle a bit-it said first that this was a smaller-growing eucalypt. Then later, its ultimate size was listed at upwards of 120 feet!

    That said, it is also apparently one of the eucalypts used for bonsai, a process that most definitely does restrict ultimate size of plant!

    +oM

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    A E. parvula was, until this winter, the fastest growing tree I've ever grown ;-)
    I think "slow" in the world of Eucs is all relative.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    But anyhow, as to the poster's question...my understanding is that most Eucs take to coppicing. in fact in various public gardens in Virginia & the upper south, it's common to see E. cinereas that die down every winter. Even outwith the excellent Lila Wallace garden, a walled collection of subtropical plants which was decommissioned, in Williamsburg there was an old planting that was treated this way. So if you really want to keep a Euc. small, you can always bring out the chain saw every other year.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    I thought that coppicing is what is done in slightly cooler zones (8) to keep that juvenile Euc foliage coming for arrangements or as a tallish shrub in the garden. That is what I would try.

  • PicoAzores
    8 years ago

    I think there must be a way to do it, such as bending it to the ground and let it snake. I am now germinating and growing Eucalyptus deglupta, which I plan to plant in the ground a couple years later. At that time I will try to keep it low to the ground by bending the young tree to the ground (or even ostrich it) in a set of 3 trees to make some kind of figure or a tent. I believe one can make a living house from stunt controlled trees.


  • wisconsitom
    8 years ago

    Aside from coppicing, there are two additional means of reducing the size of this tree: First-and this applies to any broadleaved species-heading back cuts-always to a lateral-to each and every branch in the crown, a very old technique known as drop-crotch pruning.

    There, now that everybody is done laughing at the funny name, that's a real thing. Via this method, one could arguably hold any such tree to a given size almost indefinitely. Do I think this a good course of action? No, of course not! The other method is via growth regulators, either sprayed, soil-drenched, or injected into the tree. The chemical paclobutryzol is one such growth regulator. This is not something you pick up at the hardware store-strictly restricted use. I don't expect that method to be employed here either!

    +oM