- Mature height
- 10m to 15m
- Mature width
- 4m to 6m
Eucalyptus gunnii, the Cider Gum, is a Tasmanian native grown chiefly for its foliage. Juvenile leaves are round, blue-grey and almost coin-like, held in pairs along the stem, while adult leaves lengthen and turn grey-green. The bark is smooth and mottled in cream, green and grey, and the habit is upright.
It is one of the hardiest eucalypts in cultivation, surviving heavy and frequent frost without damage, and it is drought tolerant once established. Full sun and free drainage give the best foliage colour. Growth is fast, in the order of a metre a year. It performs in Tasmania, Victoria, the ACT and the cooler tablelands.
Cider Gum is planted as a feature tree, a windbreak, a shelterbelt or a screen on rural blocks and in larger gardens, and its foliage is cut commercially for florists. Councils use it in civic beds. Because it responds so well to hard pruning, you can hold it as a shrubby silver hedge instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Cider Gum
What is Eucalyptus gunnii?
Eucalyptus gunnii is an evergreen eucalypt native to the Tasmanian highlands, named for the sweet sap that can be tapped from the trunk. It is grown mainly for its round, silver-blue juvenile foliage and smooth mottled bark, and it is the eucalypt seen most often in cut-flower work and cold-climate gardens.
How big does Cider Gum grow?
It reaches about 10 to 15 metres tall in cultivation with a broad upright crown of roughly 6 to 8 metres. Regular pruning keeps it well under that, and many gardeners run it at 3 to 4 metres purely for foliage. Left alone in good conditions it can exceed the range, so prune if height is a concern.
How cold hardy is Cider Gum?
Very. It is frost hardy and survives heavy and frequent frost without damage, which is why it is grown in the coldest parts of Australia and right across northern Europe. Cold snaps that damage other eucalypts leave it alone. Young plants are the exception and are worth sheltering through their first winter.
Can Cider Gum be kept small or pruned as a shrub?
Yes, and it is commonly done. Cut it back hard in late winter or early spring and it reshoots from the base and along the stems, producing a flush of the round silver juvenile leaves that are its best feature. Coppiced on a one or two year cycle it will hold as a 2 to 3 metre shrub.
Is Cider Gum evergreen?
Yes, evergreen. The foliage stays on year round, so the silver-blue colour holds through winter when little else does. Older leaves drop steadily rather than seasonally, and the bark sheds in strips through summer to reveal fresh cream and green patches beneath. There is no bare period at any point in the year.
Can I grow Cider Gum in a pot?
Yes, in a large container of 60 litres or more with a free-draining mix. Potted plants stay considerably smaller, and the confinement encourages the round juvenile foliage to persist. Water more often than you would in the ground, since pots dry quickly, and cut back annually to keep the plant in balance with the pot.
How do I care for Cider Gum?
Water through the first two summers, then only in long dry spells. Mulch the root zone and keep it clear of the trunk. Avoid high-phosphorus fertiliser. Prune in late winter, either lightly for shape or hard for fresh silver growth. Stake young trees in windy sites, since the soft new growth catches the wind.