EUCALYPTUS desmondensis 1000g

Commonly known as the Desmond Mallee displays decorative bark and foliage.
Flowers and fruits from January to June or August to December produce an impressive display of attractive creamy-yellow flowers.
It is equally impressive when in  bud, with the bud caps boasting a deep red. The sweet nectar from the blooms attracts birds and insects.

Conservation code: Priority 4: Rare, Near Threatened and other species in need of monitoring.

Occurs naturally in the IBRA Subregions of Eastern Mallee and Western Mallee in the south of Western Australia.

Adaptable to most well-drained soils including sand and sandy loam, samphire flats and salt pans.
Well suited to coastal soils. Drought, frost, and salt tolerant.

Grow notes:

Eucalypts germinate readily from seed and are generally considered one of the easiest natives to grow from seed.

Depending on the species Eucalyptus seed comes in various sizes from very fine to several millimetres long. As a rule of thumb seed that is fine should be sown on the surface of a porous mix and not buried. Seeds 1 to 2 mm in diameter can be covered very lightly and seeds from 2 mm up can be sown to a depth of the seed width.

Although seed can be sown most of the year in many parts of Australia seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn in temperate climates, avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 18-22°C

1. Sow seed on the surface of a porous seed-raising mix. The seed will lodge in the pores of the mix once watered.
2. Sprinkle a light covering of the seed-raising mix over the seed if required to hold the seed in place. Do not bury the seed deeply.
3. Water with a fine mist spray to avoid disturbance of the seed.
4. Place in a warm shaded or semi-shaded position to avoid dying out.
5. Keep warm & moist, and avoid drying out or waterlogging the growing mix.
6. Germination generally occurs in around 10-28 days in the right condition.

General note: Seeds of many natives are dormant and require specific conditions or pre-treatment for germination.
Do not be too hasty to discard seed that does not germinate, seeds will often lay dormant until the conditions are similar to their natural requirements for germination to occur. Containers put to one side will often surprise long after they are discarded.