Eucalyptus polyanthemos Red Box

An Australian native, Eucalyptus polyanthemos Red Box is a woody evergreen perennial tree, grown for its graceful open habit; pretty peeling and flaking bark; and beautiful, aromatic, florist-quality, glaucous blue-green foliage on a domed crown. Juvenile leaves are silvery blue-green and almost circular, but as the tree matures, the leaves become more gray-green and lance or egg shaped. The leaves easily flutter on a breeze, making a lovely rustling sound in the garden, and in early spring, the tree sets small white flowers and tiny seed pods. Immature boughs are harvestable for foliage decoration or for additions to floral arrangements, fresh or dried.

This tree grows quickly at approximately 36 inches a year, becomes rounded with age, and reaches 35 to 75 feet tall, with a 15- to 45-foot spread under optimal conditions, but typically stays much smaller in urban gardens. Stake this eucalyptus when young to achieve an upright habit. Red Box is the eucalyptus with the least litter. It makes a nice specimen in the landscape. But it's also rugged enough to be a street tree and versatile enough to be grown as a houseplant.

Eucalyptus grows best in sunny locations with well-draining soil having a slightly acidic to highly alkaline pH. Red Box Eucalyptus is very easy to grow under a wide range of home growing conditions and is drought and heat tolerant once established. It is resistant to Texas root rot and verticillium but susceptible to beetle borers, armillaria and root rot. Leaf chlorosis may occur if heavily irrigated.