Growing your own Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees in coastal California:

By James K. Sayre

On 22 April 2002, I planted a packet of Blue Gum Eucalyptus seeds, which I had obtained two years before from North Forestry, Inc.. Australia. The Blue Gum seeds are small, flat and dark colored. I planted them about a quarter inch deep in the back garden. After about three weeks, several of the seeds sprouted and soon grew their bluish juvenile leaves. By the fall, they were mostly about 12 inches high with dark green oblong leaves with reddish stems . They grew slowly the first year. After one full year, I measured their heights, and they varied from about only six inches (a late-sprouting runt, that is very close to one of the largest Blue Gum sprouts) to over two feet high.

Then I in spring of 2003, I transplanted several of them to another location by digging up the whole root balls around the plants. They weathered that transplanting OK. A second transplanting this summer was tougher on the two transplanted plants. They wilted, but I kept watering them and saying a little prayer for them and they both finally pulled through, although one is now leaning on other nearby plants for support.

After a year and a few months growth, they start to produce side shoots. This is exciting news after a year of their growing only straight up.

Blue Gum Eucalyptus 2003 winter update:

late winter update (2/3/03): most plants have pale greenish to pinkish upper leaves; I do not know if this is the result of low winter light, cold or poor soil. It may be a temporary condition. As of 4/21/03, the new upper leaves are the traditional juvenile blue-green.

4 March 03: measured heights of Blue Gum seedlings: 22", 16", 12", 12" 12" and the smallest at 6". 22 April 03: 27", 23", 19", 18", 15" and 8". Therefore, in seven weeks, the largest grew 5" or about 23%. The smallest grew 2" or about 33%. The others grew respectively 43%, 58%, 50% and 25%. This averages to about 38%.

28 May 2003: late spring update: the two largest Blue Gums are putting up side shoots from just below their top leaves.

15 June 2003: transplanted two of Blue Gums that were growing in side area in front of garage into backyard. The roots seem to be about six inches deep into the soil. One is planted in the corner between the two Lapins cherry trees, the other is in front of the garage and the Green Ash trees. 16 June 2003: top leaves of transplanted trees are drooping: watered again.

25 August 2003: the original Blue Gum planted near the back of the house is now six feet high: 16 months after the seeds were planted.

Winter 2004 update: 7 February 2004:

Now, in early February 2004, the tallest Blue Gum sprout is about 7.5 feet high, two others are over 6 feet high and a fourth is about 5.5 feet high.

Spring 2004 update: the Gang of Six Blue Gums just had their second Birthday and they're getting to be big boys now. On 22 April 2004, their second birthday, in decending order of height: ten feet, eight feet, seven feet, six and a half feet, five feet and the runt of the litter at about twelve inches high. The runt is located right next to the ten foot tree and was a late sprouter. They are all still in their juvenile bluish-silvery-green finery.

Adult sickle-shaped leaves produced: Summer 2004 update: 12 August 2004. After fruitlessly searching through the Internet to find the age that Blue Gums first produced their adult sickle-shaped leaves, I went outside and looked up at the top branches of my tallest Blue Gum tree (about 15 feet high now) and noticed some small sickle-shaped adult leaves growing at the tips of the top several branches. So it takes about two and a half years for Blue Gums to produce their first few adult leaves.

27 April 2005: Spring 2005 update: Happy Birthday, Blue Gums! Grow, grow, grow. The tallest Blue Gum is now about twenty feet high, The others are 17 feet, 15 feet, 15 feet, 7 feet and the runt (next to the tallest tree) is about 4 feet high.

End.

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Web page last updated on 27 April 2005.