Eucalyptus cephalocarpa - Evergreen Trees Direct

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

$280.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Size: 40cm/45L

40cm/45L 100L

Current Stock Height Guides

40cm/45L: 1m – 1.5m Approx.
100L: Enquire within for height guide information.

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 10m to 25m (approx.)

Mature Width: 5m to 15m

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is expected to grow 0.8m to 1.2m per year (approx.).

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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Email: sales@evergreentrees.com.au

Phone: (03) 7042 3318

About Your New Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa, the Mealy Stringybark, is a Victorian native tree with a rounded, tiered canopy. Its defining feature is the mealy silver-grey juvenile foliage, which carries a fine waxy bloom and holds well into maturity. The trunk wears the thick fibrous stringy bark that gives the group its name.

It wants full sun and takes most soils, including clay and gravelly ground, provided water does not sit for long. It is frost hardy through heavy and frequent frost, and drought tolerant once settled. Growth runs around 0.8 to 1.2 metres a year. Best across cool temperate and temperate southern Australia, Victoria in particular.

It earns its keep on rural properties as a shelter and shade tree, and councils use it in civic parkland and avenue planting where a tough local eucalypt is wanted. The silver foliage reads well against darker natives. Give it open ground, since it reaches 10 to 25 metres with a canopy to 15 metres.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Mealy Stringybark

What is Eucalyptus cephalocarpa?

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is a stringybark from the foothills and gullies east of Melbourne, also sold as Silver-leaved Stringybark. It is a medium to tall evergreen with a rounded, tiered crown, thick fibrous bark and silver-grey foliage that has a mealy, dusted look. It is grown for shade, shelter and that foliage colour.

How big does Mealy Stringybark grow?

It grows 10 to 25 metres tall with a canopy spreading up to 15 metres. The final size depends a good deal on the site: deeper, moister soils push it to the top of that range, while dry shallow ground keeps it lower. Plan the position around the full spread rather than the nursery size.

Does it need sun or shade?

Full sun. It is a canopy tree in its natural range and needs open light to build an even, well-balanced crown and to hold the silver colour in the foliage. Planted in shade it stretches, thins out and loses the tiered habit that makes it worth growing. Half a day of direct sun is the practical minimum.

Is Mealy Stringybark frost tolerant?

Yes, it is frost hardy and comes through heavy and frequent frost without damage. It grows naturally in cold Victorian gullies where frost settles, so it is a sound choice for the Dandenongs, central Victoria, the Adelaide Hills and Tasmania. No winter protection is needed once the tree is in the ground and growing.

Is it evergreen or deciduous?

Evergreen. It holds foliage all year, so the silver-grey colour and the screening value stay through winter. Older leaves drop steadily rather than all at once, so expect some leaf litter beneath the canopy year round. The rough bark is persistent rather than shedding, so you avoid the bark drop of a smooth-barked gum.

Where does it grow best in Australia?

It is at home in cool temperate and temperate southern Australia. Victoria is its heartland, and it also performs in the Adelaide Hills, Tasmania, the ACT and the cooler tablelands of New South Wales. It is less suited to humid subtropical coasts and to the hot dry inland, where other eucalypts do better.

How do I care for Mealy Stringybark?

Water deeply once a week through the first two summers, then only in prolonged dry spells. Mulch out to the drip line and keep the trunk clear. It needs no fertiliser in reasonable soil. Prune in the first few years to set a single leader and remove low limbs, then largely leave it alone.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

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Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Shade Tree
Rural Property Planting
Council or Civic Landscapes
Avenue Planting

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa works in an:

Australian Native Garden – celebrates local plants with natural character.
Woodland Garden – layered, naturalistic design under dappled light.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Coastal Garden – relaxed, seaside feel with hardy, textural plants.
Low-maintenance Garden – resilient choices for easy care and year-round appeal.

Is Eucalyptus cephalocarpa Evergreen or Deciduous?

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 10m to 25m (approx.)

Mature Width: 5m to 15m

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is expected to grow 0.8m to 1.2m per year (approx.).

Growth Rate of Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is expected to grow 0.8m to 1.2m per year (approx.).

They are considered to have a:

Fast Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

Is Eucalyptus cephalocarpa frost tolerant?

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is Frost Hardy – Survives heavy and frequent frost without damage.

Does Eucalyptus cephalocarpa Flower?

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa produces clusters of small creamy-white fluffy flowers from late winter into spring. These soft blooms contrast beautifully with the silvery-blue foliage, adding a gentle seasonal highlight to its ornamental canopy.

Does Eucalyptus cephalocarpa flower?

Yes - Flowers

Flowering Period:

Winter
Spring

Flower Type:

Fluffy

Flower Colour:

Cream

Is Eucalyptus cephalocarpa an Australian Native Tree?

Yes

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is Native to Victoria, Australia, particularly in the ranges and tablelands of the state, where it grows in dry sclerophyll forests and woodland.

What is the Wildlife Value of Eucalyptus cephalocarpa ?

Its nectar-rich flowers attract honeyeaters, native bees, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators, while the evergreen canopy offers shelter, perching sites and nesting habitat for small birds. The smooth trunk and aromatic foliage also support insects that contribute to a biodiverse garden ecosystem.

How much Sunlight does Eucalyptus cephalocarpa need?

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa will thrive best in:

Full Sun

Preferred Soil?

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa performs best in well-drained sandy or loam soils and tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. It may struggle in heavy clay or poorly drained areas unless improved with organic matter and coarse material to enhance drainage. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then move to deep, occasional watering as the tree matures to support strong drought resilience, healthy growth and its striking silver foliage.

Is Eucalyptus cephalocarpa Drought Tolerant?

Is Eucalyptus cephalocarpa Drought tolerant?

As a young tree it requires regular watering, but once established Eucalyptus cephalocarpa develops excellent drought tolerance. It thrives in hot, dry and coastal environments and maintains its attractive silvery foliage with minimal supplementary watering.

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How To Plant Your Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun to part shade with room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

Feature tree: 3 to 4 metres apart to allow the full canopy and form to develop.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa is expected to grow 0.8m to 1.2m per year (approx.).

Fast Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Eucalyptus cephalocarpa

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, reduce to once weekly in dry periods. Mulch helps maintain consistent moisture.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk.

Pruning: Minimal pruning required. Light tip prune in late winter to maintain shape, and remove lower branches as the tree grows to develop a clean feature trunk.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release native blend in early spring and again in autumn. Avoid high-phosphorus formulations as a precaution.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional scale or caterpillar inspection in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Eucalyptus cephalocarpa in Different Soil

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa performs best in well-drained sandy loam or loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is improved with organic matter.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch well to maintain consistent moisture.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred. Mulch with composted leaf litter to maintain levels naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Silver-leaved Stringybark suitable for urban gardens?
Yes, due to its medium size, it's a popular choice for urban landscapes, offering shade and aesthetic value.

Can Eucalyptus cephalocarpa tolerate frost?
While it can handle mild frost, it's essential to protect young trees in regions prone to heavy frost.