Small Eucalypts for Landscaping and Gardens
Small gum trees bring a touch of Australia’s natural beauty to your garden, no matter its size. Their compact stature, year-round appeal, and wildlife-friendly nature make them an excellent choice for adding an Australian twist to your garden. These compact eucalypts are ideal for urban gardens or spaces where space is limited.
Their evergreen foliage provides year-round colour and texture. Many species boast exquisite leaves with a silver or blue-grey hue, creating a striking visual contrast in any garden.
Several small gum tree species are popular among garden enthusiasts. The ‘Silver Princess’ (Eucalyptus caesia) with its weeping branches and silver foliage, and ‘Blue Bush’ or ‘Mottlecah’, (Eucalyptus macrocarpa) with its brilliant flowers and foliage reaching around 3 metres in height are to name a few.
The term ‘Mallee’ is also used for a number of the low-growing eucalypt species mostly from dry areas. Eucalyptus preissiana or ‘Bell-fruited Mallee’ with its yellow flowers is a classic example. Eucalyptus kruseana or ‘Bookleaf Mallee’, is another.
Most of these smaller species have attractive flowers and beautiful bark, and many can also be pruned to maintain a smaller size if needed.
Some of the Best Small Gum Trees
- Angophora bakeri – Generally reaching 10m or less in height.
- Corymbia ficifolia – New dwarf varieties that reach around 3m in height make these wonderful flowering trees well worth consideration. Read more about Corymbia ficifolia.
- Eucalyptus caesia – (Silver Princess or Gungurru) With a weeping habit and reaching around 8m in height. A number of cultivars are available.
- Eucalyptus cinerea – Wonderful blue foliage that takes very well to pruning. So although it can reach 7 – 10m in height, it can actually be pruned to very low growing ground cover or hedge.
- Eucalyptus gillii – One of the Mallees reaching around 5m in height with a spreading habit.
- Eucalyptus kruseana – Another Mallee. A little straggly in habit that responds to pruning. Lime green flowers in late summer. Variable in height from 3 – 5m.
- Eucalyptus conferruminata – (Bald Island Marlock) From the southern region of WA, reaches 4-8m in height.
- Eucalyptus leucoxylon – (Rosea) Variable in height from 10 -25m, however very attractive and with red flowers. A dwarf form named ‘Euky Dwarf’ is even smaller-growing around 6m. Works well as a street tree.
- Eucalyptus macrocarpa – One of the best Mallee types. Wonderful red flowers, reaching around 4m in height.
- Eucalyptus pachyphylla – reaching 5 – 7m in height with yellow to lime-green flowers.
- Eucalyptus preissiana – One of the smallest Eucalypts, generally 3m or less. Pale green to yellow flowers. Also called the ‘Bell Fruited Mallee’.
- Eucalyptus pulverulenta – includes the cultivar ‘Baby Blue’.
- Eucalyptus risdonii – Reaches 3 – 6m. Due to being from Tasmania, it grows well in cooler climates and is not as particular about drainage as some of the Western Australian species.
- Eucalyptus torquata – Reaches from 6 – 10m in height.
- Eucalyptus youngiana – (Ooldea Mallee) Flowers are most commonly red; however pink and green forms are available. Reaches around 11m in height.