EUCALYPTUS saligna

A fast-growing imposing species of eucalypt with a tall straight trunk that can grow 30 to 65 m tall that sheds its bark as it matures to expose a smooth blue-grey and white bark although the rough bark usually remains at the base of the trunk.

Flower buds in groups of seven, nine or eleven open to reveal white flowers during December to March.
Glossy green lanceolate leaves are arranged alternatively 16 cm long and 3 cm wide. Drought tolerant.
Endemic to eastern Australia.

Grow notes:

Eucalypt's 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. Seed 1 to 2 mm in diameter can be covered very lightly and seed 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 surface of a porous seed raising mix. The seed will lodge in the the pores of the mix once watered.
2. Sprinkle a very light covering of the seed raising mix over the seed if required to hold the seed in place. Do not bury seed deeply.
3. Water with 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, 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 were discarded.