Eucalyptus Gunnii (Cider Gum)

This Gum is a native of the highlands of Tasmania and Australia and was introduced to the UK in the mid 1850s.

A winner of the Award of Garden Merit in both 2002 and 1950, this striking tree is also well suited to being grown as a multi-stemmed coppiced specimen.

A very well known Eucalyptus - and a very hardy one - this large, broadly pyramidal tree has smooth grey-pink to red-brown bark.

The young leaves are grey-green and glaucous providing a wonderful contrast to gardens and municipal landscapes.

For those florists amongst you, the foliage is particularly good to compliment cut flower arrangements.

It thrives on most soils. When faced with selecting Eucalyptus never be tempted to go for the biggest and probably most pot bound.

A strange physiology comes into play in that when Eucalyptus roots spiral they tend to carry on that way and are prone to falling over through lack of anchorage over time.

This is a particular problem exasperated by trees grown in black pots.

Mature height: 15-20m