Eucalyptus gunnii – Cider Gum Cell-Grown Plants for Fast Evergreen Screening

Fast Growing Eucalyptus gunnii Screening Trees.

For larger and older trees go to Mature Eucalyptus Gunni, Standard And Shrubs

Our Eucalyptus gunnii cell-grown plants can be used as cheap, evergreen, and fast-growing screening trees even under British conditions.^[5] With a growth rate of up to 2m a year ^[8], you won’t have to wait long for anything to be screened out.

The distinctive blue-grey foliage contrasts well in the garden and provides year-round colour. Cider Gum establishes quickly, can be grown as a large specimen, and repeatedly coppiced for fresh foliage.^[1][2] Easy to understand how it got the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Young Cider Gum carries rounded, glaucous blue-grey leaves on pale stems. As the tree matures, these gradually change to longer grey-green adult leaves, while older trunks develop attractive peeling cream and brown bark.^[1] The juvenile foliage is also valued for decorative cutting and floristry.^[2]

Native to Tasmania, Cider Gum has a naturally columnar, upright habit.^[1] Its foliage is mildly fragrant, with the characteristic eucalyptus aroma becoming more noticeable when the leaves are crushed.^[15]

Ordinary Eucalyptus gunnii naturally develops a relatively open crown, so it is better suited to a loose screen or repeated multi-stem planting than to a dense, tightly clipped formal hedge.^[3]

For informal screening, around 1.75m between plants is a sensible starting point. A seven-year Eucalyptus gunnii trial used 1.75m spacing and found that well-grown plants filled their allotted space.^[16]

Ideal for: Year round colour and architectural planting, coppiced eucalyptus displays and quick growing evergreen trees for informal screening.

Eucalyptus gunnii Screening – How to Get a Thick Screen as Quickly as Possible

If you want the plants to gain height and thicken up at the same time, leave the main leader alone until it reaches the height you want. While it is growing, trim back long or straggly side shoots to encourage them to branch and become bushier. Once the main leader reaches the final screen height, cut the top out and continue trimming the sides to maintain a thick screen.^[4][17]

If you only need screening above a fence or wall, you can keep a clear stem below it. Once the main stem reaches the height where you want the screen to start, cut it across at that height. Eucalyptus gunnii will then produce multiple new branches from around the cut. Remove any new shoots from lower down if you want to keep the stem clear.^[4]

Late winter to early spring, around February to March, is the normal time for formative pruning.^[4]

Best Soil, Sun and Shelter for Eucalyptus gunnii

Choose full sun and a reasonably sheltered position e.g. no hilltops, because its rapid young growth can be damaged on exposed and windy sites.^[2]. Cider Gum is very light-demanding and should not be planted in permanent shade.

The species is hardy through most of the UK, with an H5 rating equivalent to approximately −15°C to −10°C.^[1] Young shoots are more vulnerable to badly timed frost, so frost hollows should be avoided.^[2]

Best growth is achieved on reasonably fertile and moist soils. Slightly acidic conditions are preferred, although some alkaline tolerance is recorded, and the species can grow on clay, loam, sand and chalk.^[1][2]

Some imperfect drainage can be tolerated, but very wet sites, peat and permanent waterlogging are unsuitable.^[2] Drought tolerance is only moderate, so ground that retains reasonable moisture is preferable to very dry soil.^[3]

Cider Gum can be suitable for coastal planting in Britain, but it is best where there is some shelter from strong winds.^[2]

How Large Does a Cider Gum Tree Grow?

An unrestricted Cider Gum tree can become a substantial tree, with a potential height of around 34m and a crown exceeding 8m across.^[3]

The root system may become extensive, and eucalyptus is classed among high-water-demand trees.^[3][6] Large trees can therefore compete strongly with nearby planting for moisture.

Most trees near buildings cause no structural damage, but high-water-demand trees need extra consideration on shrinkable clay, where drying of the soil can contribute to subsidence. Roots can also exploit drains that are already leaking.^[6]

Wildlife, Browsing, Toxicity and Other Limitations

Mature Cider Gum produces small white flowers and can provide some value to bees and other pollinating insects.^[1][3] The flowers are produced in summer.^[15] Frequently coppiced plants may flower little because the stems are continually pruned back.

Young plants may be palatable to deer and other browsing mammals if other food sources are low, so protection may be necessary where browsing pressure is high.^[2] This does not apply to your nearest and dearest, they are a different sort of deer so no need to tell your partner to stop eating the hedge.

Eucalyptus foliage is toxic if eaten by dogs, cats and horses.^[7] Small amounts are more likely to cause digestive upset, while larger amounts or concentrated eucalyptus oils can cause more serious issues.^[14]

Eucalyptus gunnii is generally a trouble-free tree, although several pests and diseases can occasionally occur. Eucalyptus gall wasp produces small raised swellings on the leaves and can sometimes cause heavy leaf fall, but it does not normally affect the long-term health of the tree.^[9] Eucalyptus sucker (an insect) feeds on young shoots and can leave them sticky with honeydew, although the damage is usually minor and does not normally reduce the vigour of the plant.^[10]

Oedema is not an infection but a reaction to excessively wet conditions, causing water-soaked areas and corky swellings on the leaves.^[11] More serious problems include silver leaf, which can cause branch dieback and may eventually kill affected trees, and honey fungus or Phytophthora root rot, both of which attack the roots and can lead to decline or death.^[2][12][13] Good drainage helps reduce the conditions associated with oedema and root problems.