Eucalyptus coccifera

A wonderful selection native to the mountains of Tasmania, this 20-40' tree has lovely grey-green leaves that are tinged with bronze when young. The highly aromatic leaves are round when juvenile, the mature leaves are lance shaped, pretty creamy flowers appear in summer and the bark is a beautiful patchwork of silver and white with shades of pink and brown. This species takes well to pruning if creating a hedge is desired, it is also often coppiced for the harvest of the juvenile foliage for its use in flower arrangements. S/M

This species combines the best ornamental features of all eucalyptus: beautiful smooth mottled bark, small gracefully weeping leaves, and contorted branches. Sometimes you also get pale silvery-green adult leaves with silver stems, but they can also be green. All this on a tree that will not grow fast enough to scare you; it usually only grows 3-4' per year but can eventually reach 60' or more. It is also called 'Tasmanian Snow Gum,' referring to its contorted habit, smooth bark, and preference for extreme alpine habitats recalling the true snow gums of the mainland (the E. pauciflora group), though it is not closely related to these plants. This wind-tolerant species will appreciate a well drained, moist site in full sun. Although it inhabits the most hostile and windswept mountaintops of Tasmania, it is not found in some of the frost hollows, and thus is considered to be a little bit less cold hardy than the best forms of E. gunnii and E. urnigera. Still, it can endure temperatures down to about 5 °F when mature. A fine specimen of this species can be seen adjacent to the Graham Visitor Center parking lot at Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum. Leaves smell of peppermint. Tasmania.