Leaf
Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC-BY-SA-2.5
Cider gum
Eucalyptus gunnii Hook.f.
Also known as: Gunn's gum
Family: Myrtaceae
10 to 20 m tall (often cut back to 3-5 m in gardens)
Planted as a specimen in gardens and parks for its silvery evergreen foliage; native to Tasmania, widely introduced in France, notably in the south and west.
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Hardy to about -15°C (one of the hardiest eucalyptus species)
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Cider gum changes appearance as it ages: its rounded blue-silver juvenile leaves give way to elongated grey-green adult leaves, so many gardeners prune it hard every year to keep the decorative juvenile foliage indefinitely.
🍃 Leaves
Juvenile leaves rounded, opposite, sessile, blue-grey; adult leaves lanceolate, alternate, grey-green, aromatic when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Small white flowers with no visible petals and numerous stamens, gathered in small axillary clusters, not spectacular
🍎 Fruits
Woody cup-shaped capsules, clustered along the shoots
🪵 Bark
Peels off in plates, shifting from grey-green cream to red-brown, very decorative
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Tasmania, widely grown in Europe, notably in southern and western France
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich flowers appreciated by bees late in the season, when few other trees are in bloom
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted as a specimen or as a fast-growing screening hedge, often cut back every year to keep the decorative juvenile foliage, which is also used in dried bouquets
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Foliage rich in essential oils (eucalyptol), toxic if ingested by dogs, cats and horses (salivation, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness); no known risk to humans from mere skin contact.
🌿 Other Myrtaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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