EUCALYPTUS urnigera

A fast-growing ornamental eucalypt often used in flower arrangements for its attractive foliage and its distinctive urn-shaped seed capsules.
Creamy flowers occur in clusters of 3 during summer. The flowers are followed by the distinctive “Urn” shaped capsules.

Erect stem with weeping branches and pale grey-green bark mottled with greenish yellow.
Juvenile leaves are heart-shaped, opposite, and have a purple margin to the leaf. Adult leaves are broad and lanceolate 10cm long and 2 cm wide.

A handsome specimen tree with dense foliage that does well in colder climates.

Occurs naturally in the sub-alpine regions of south-eastern Tasmania on rocky slopes.

Prefers medium soil in an open sunny position. Frost resistant but drought tender.

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. 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. Do not bury the 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, 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 were discarded.