eucalyptus

Welcome to this post about why you might not want to be growing eucalyptus at home. There are a sea of arguments against growing it in all honesty. In this article, we will discuss some of the most popular that include the impact it has on the soil it is growing in. Making it sour and inhabitable for other plants.

Another reason might be the area the roots can cover, about 100 feet has been shown on some of the oldest examples of eucalyptus. However, do these arguments against it outweigh the benefits that might exist with it? Continue reading to find out.

If you want to read a complete and comprehensive guide to growing eucalyptus then who has written right here on the site? You can find it right here, How To Grow A Eucalyptus Tree.

Why You Should Not Plant Eucalyptus

The biggest argument against growing any tree of eucalyptus is the pollution it can have on the soil around it. It makes the soil and ground uninhabitable for other plants because of the lower pH it brings. This is a process that happens because of the leaves that it shed. These leaves then become compost as they deteriorate. It releases chemicals that are not very healthy for the soil.

With this said, there are still a lot of people that choose to grow eucalyptus at home for the beauty they hold and also the incredible smell the leaves have. Knowing what the arguments against growing it are is a very important part as well however and one that you should be aware of.

Some of the other factors why it might not be such a good idea to grow it is that it often outcompetes other plants growing nearby. It makes it very difficult for them to get any nutrition or oxygen from the soil. The reason for this is the vast root system the tree is able to develop. There have been reports of some really old trees having root systems accounting for almost 100 feet in width. Makes you think if it’s a good idea to have it growing at home in your garden.

Eucalyptus is a very easy tree to grow, but how easy is it really? In this article, we dive deeper into that topic. Find it here, Is Eucalyptus Hard To Grow?

Are Eucalyptus Trees Bad

The simple answer to whether eucalyptus trees are bad is that it’s complicated. Might seem like a bad answer but there are of course downsides to it, just like there are pros to it. For us, the positives outweigh the negatives. But for a lot of people that’s not the case. One of the most important things about growing it however is doing it in moderation. It will have a very bad effect on your garden if you have let’s say 5 or more growing. Stick to having one and let it be that way. Less is more.

The reason for us suggesting you not have more is that it does outcompete a lot of other plants growing at home. Some other factors that might be a bad tree to be having at home are the fact it lowers the pH. Most plants want a pH of around 7, which would be referred to as neutral. But with eucalyptus present, this number can be lower. Just one point lower and you can see a huge impact on your other things growing.

With this lower pH comes a more favorable environment for mushrooms to grow in. Mushrooms are generally water-repellant. This causes other plants in the area to have a hard time catching or taking advantage of water lying and sitting in the soil. Often this causes the most damage to older trees that survive on water found deep beneath the surface. When the mycelium at the top soil repels the water, the lower water storages don’t get resupplied. Causing the trees to have a hard time surviving.

Growing eucalyptus from seed is a project we recommend to most people that want to see quick progress. Here you will find out a guide to growing it from seed, How To Grow Eucalyptus From Seed.

Is Eucalyptus An Invasive Tree

Yes, eucalyptus is an invasive species. It was usually grown throughout California to some extent. Originally it comes from Australia where it was accustomed to the very harsh and dry climate there. Coming to California I found a perfect home where the very warm climate mixed with more rain made it a match made in heaven.

After it had grown there for many many decades it finally escaped and started growing along the coastline. This was outside the norm and this is when we can really see the impact it has on new land. It takes off the soil and forces other plants out. As the plants that normally grow there seem to exist, it affects the wildlife in that they no longer have their habitat left as they want it.

Let’s reiterate again what we have been talking about here. There are many reasons not to grow eucalyptus. Some of the most popular and strong arguments against it are that it lowers the pH of the soil and makes it habitable for other plants growing nearby. This along with very large root systems makes it hard to grow at home in the garden.

What is the impact of growing eucalyptus on the soil? In this article here we will discuss just that. Find it here, Is Eucalyptus Bad For Soil?

Welcome to this post about how you can grow eucalyptus by taking cuttings from an already-existing tree in your garden. Eucalyptus has a bit of a mixed reputation and liking among people. Some feel it ruins the landscape but they really enjoy it for the wonderful fragrant smell it offers.

 In any case, it’s a pretty easy type of tree to propagate more off, probably one of the reasons it has gained such popularity in some places. In all honesty, though, growing eucalyptus from seeds has been shown to be the most efficient and foolproof way. But we are here to give you other alternatives, namely growing from cuttings.

If you want to read a full-on guide that covers basically everything there is to cultivating eucalyptus then you can read one of our articles. It will answer all your questions and you can find it right here, How To Grow Eucalyptus.

How To Grow Eucalyptus From Cuttings

We mentioned at the beginning of this article that the easiest way to get more eucalyptus is to grow it from seed. This is an almost foolproof method as eucalyptus is incredibly easy to grow. But for those that maybe want to skip out on the first few months or even a year of growth that can be passed by with this method, it can be very intriguing.

The way that we would recommend doing this is by first choosing a very good-looking twig of eucalyptus that you can take. It should ideally be between 4 – 8 inches long for the best result. What we also recommend doing is taking away any of the smaller leaves that might be present further down on the cutting. This won’t bring any good for the cutting and will generally just be in the way.

After we have cut off the twig we need to prepare a container with water. You will not have to fill it further up than just an inch or two. Depending on how big of a twig you cut away. The reason for filling lower is that we want the focus of the root development to be at the bottom, where the exposed surface is located.

Let the twig be in the water for about 3 – 4 weeks or until it has developed a noticeable root system that looks ready for transplanting. Refill with water whenever you see that it needs and maintain that 1 – 2 inch level of water. For the best results doing this method, we recommend you keep the plant in an above-average room temperature environment. This will make the plant grow the fastest and most likely with a successful result.

Curious about the difficulty of growing eucalyptus both indoors and outdoors? Here we will go in-depth on both methods. Find it here, Is Eucalyptus Easy To Grow Indoors And Outdoors?

How To Grow Silver Dollar Eucalyptus From Cuttings

Growing cuttings from the silver dollar eucalyptus are very similar to what we described above here. It comes down to maintaining a great environment for the plant to grow in. We don’t want the temperature of the room to be below 80 degrees ideally. Fairly above the average room temperature. But this is the best we have found to have the cutting grow really quickly and efficiently.

After leaving the spring in a container filled about 1 – 2 inches high with water for 4 weeks it will be ready for transplanting. At this point, you should be able to see some clear signs that there are roots coming out. It will form almost like a ball around the lower part of it that has grown correctly.

Eucalyptus is a tree native to Australia so it’s no wonder the most ideal climate for it is a warm one. So after you have successfully propagated the cuttings in the water you need to not grow them outside when it’s cold. That will completely ruin all the progress we just made.

Would you like to know when the best time is to grow eucalyptus depending on where you live? Luckily we have put together an article for just that. Find it here, When To Grow Eucalyptus In?

Can You Root Eucalyptus Cuttings In Water

Rooting eucalyptus cuttings in water is very possible and it’s one of the better ways of propagating new eucalyptus. Even though I have said that growing eucalyptus from seed can be very efficient, this method is definitely worth considering.

We simply measure about an inch of water in a container and then leave a sprig of eucalyptus in there. This will then hopefully start to develop a root system after a few weeks, usually around 4 weeks or so.

But having a successful rooting is all dependent on the environment. We want the temperature to be around 80 – 90 degrees of the optimal level. It should be kept this way for the entire period. Another good thing is to give it some light as well. Doing this during the summer might be a very good idea as it can be both outsides and keep the level temperature.

We want to leave you with another tip too, that is to use a small amount of fertilizer in the water. Note, a very tiny amount is only necessary as more will do harm to the roots developing. 

If you want to learn more about taking stems from a eucalyptus tree and growing from that then we have the perfect article for you. Find it here, Can You Grow Eucalyptus From Cut Stems?

Welcome to this post that will talk about growing eucalyptus. Probably one of the most popular trees to have at home at one point. Now it has become more of a staple piece. The main reason for the gain in popularity was how easy it was to grow this tree. In this article, we will explain further on exactly that. You will learn how you can learn to grow it from a seed or just from a cutting.

Find out what type of climate and environment it likes to grow in so you can have the best chance. You might be surprised as well by the speed at that the eucalyptus grows. It can really be a great tree to grow if you want to see results quickly and also have something that will stay around for a long time.

How To Grow A Eucalyptus Tree

Growing eucalyptus is a lot about having the right conditions for it to grow in. We want the soil to be very well drained but also contain a lot of nutrition. It’s a tree that particularly likes the sun a lot, keeping it in a spot where it can get that every day will make it flourish.

If you are growing eucalyptus from seed then you will have to do that indoors. This way we can keep it safe from the outside elements that might harm it otherwise. We find that it does grow faster this way also. Sow it in a small container with healthy and well-drained soil.

You might want to grow eucalyptus from cuttings at first if you have a tree nearby. We would actually advise against this as the speed you can grow it from seed is really fast. So for a first-time grower of eucalyptus, this is the best route to take in our opinion.

It will take between 18 – 21 days for it to germinate and start sprouting. This is when you can start seeing it grow above the soil. A lot of people call this tree an invasive species, given that information it will grow very fast as well, like most invasive species.

Keep the plant growing in a sunny window and make sure the soil never really dries out too much. Once it’s about 1 – 2 feet tall you will be able to start growing it outdoors. Make a well for it and then plant it. Make sure it’s stable and then water the soil. Keep watering it whenever it dries out.

At the end of the season, you will have to start cutting branches. It grows almost 8 feet tall per season so there will be plenty to cut. This way we can keep the tree a bit more contained and not grow completely wild.

How To Grow Eucalyptus Indoors

Growing a eucalyptus indoors is a really fun project to undertake. It really is about making sure it has a great environment to grow in. As eucalyptus likes well-drained soil that is kept well watered and in the sun we can make sure it gets that.

The biggest upside of growing it indoors is that you can always keep an eye on it. Eucalyptus is also a tree that can grow indoors for many decades indoors as well. You might have heard that it grows very quickly every year. That’s very true. About 8 feet per season is the average.

You might wonder how you could ever grow it indoors at that speed. But it all comes down to cutting the branches from it a lot. It will keep it from getting out of hand. We usually actually recommend cutting it down by almost 30 % every year. But this number can actually increase to have it growing more like a bush. The key is that you cut it during the season and not at the end only.

How To Grow Eucalyptus From Seed

Growing eucalyptus from seed is probably the best way to do it actually. Since it’s a very fast-growing tree as well the best option is usually to grow it from a seed. Make sure that you have fresh seeds as those will propagate a lot faster and the success rate is higher too.

Prepare a small container with healthy soil and water it well. It should have some small holes in the bottom to lead away all the excess water. Place seed each in the containers and lightly tap them. cover them with a little bit of soil. They will basically be growing directly on the surface of the soil.

Leave them in a sunny window where they can start sprouting. It’s important to keep the temperature warm as well, ideally, it should be around 60 – 70 degrees. This will really kick start the first growth of the seed.

After about 18 – 21 days you will be able to see the first signs of it above the surface of the soil. At this point, you want to keep doing what you are doing. Water the soil when it needs to and let it sit in a warm sunny spot.

You might wonder when the best time is to plant a eucalyptus tree seed. We often recommend you do it during the late spring actually. At this time of the year, the weather is becoming warmer and it’s easier to get the necessary amount of sun. About 10 hours is ideal when growing indoors.

Growing eucalyptus from seed can be very rewarding but if you want to try your hand at doing it from cuttings then we have the perfect article for you. Find it here, How To Grow Eucalyptus From Cuttings.

How To Grow Eucalyptus Plant

Growing a eucalyptus plant is a really fun project because of the speed at that it will grow. It is one of the fastest trees you can have growing at home. It clocks in around 8 feet or 2-meter growth every season. Even if it has been sown the same year. A pretty insane amount actually.

Of course, it won’t be growing a very thick trunk as it will grow more vertically instead. It really likes a relatively dry environment with lots of warmth. It originates from Australia where it had this exact climate basically all year round. It has found a new home in California where it now is being grown to a great extent.

The biggest issue one might have when growing this tree is the sheer growth it’s possible to achieve. If you have it outside this might not be an issue, since you want it to grow tall and establish itself. But if you plan to keep this tree indoors then you will definitely have to prune it quite a lot.

A good tip is to keep it in the sun a lot. This will actually make it grow thicker and not just tall and thin. It sort of works the same with herbs that don’t get enough sun during the season. They grow thin and scraggly. We want to avoid that because the eucalyptus tree needs to establish itself.

How To Grow Eucalyptus From Stem

Growing a eucalyptus from a stem is very possible. The best thing is that since eucalyptus is also a tree that establishes itself very quickly you will also see results very quickly.

Most people might suggest taking the cuttings or stems at the end of the season. We prefer doing it at the start of the season instead. This will let us have cuttings and stems that already have developed some leaves on them. They tend to grow roots a lot faster than the tired autumn cuttings and stems.

For the best chance of having their root, you can dip them in a rooting hormone. This will kickstart the process and make them grow roots in no time. But there are of course other things you can do as well. Keeping it in the sun for a long time during the season will also greatly help it in growing fast.

In most cases, you will keep the cuttings indoors to protect them if the nights are cold. But having them outside during the day will help them get the necessary 6 – 8 hours of sunlight. It’s the same amount an already established tree might need. Taking the cuttings whilst there are still leaves on them will help generate more energy when the sun is shining on them.

How Long Does It Take To Grow Eucalyptus

Growing a eucalyptus is actually a very fast job or project to do. If you have read the previous segments above here you would be able to see that it can grow about 8 feet tall per season. Compare that to the average of 2 – 3 feet for other trees and we quickly see a winner.

But it will only be able to grow this well if the soil is kept well drained but also watered regularly. It likes the sun a lot, pretty obvious when we see that it originates from Australia.

Pruning the tree at the end of the season if you have it outside will help it grow bushy and develop the trunk a lot more. It will eventually look a lot better if you keep this practice up.

There are some arguments against growing eucalyptus because of the impact it can have. In this article, we will take a closer look at that. Find it here, Why You Should Not Plant Eucalyptus.

How To Grow Eucalyptus From Cuttings

Growing a eucalyptus tree from a cutting is one of the best ways of propagating more of this wonderful tree. It’s a fast-growing variety once it can get established. The biggest difference between growing a cutting and a stem is the size difference. A cutting will only maybe have a few small branches coming out and be less than half a foot tall.

The larger stem is often used if you want to quickly clone your tree and get more eucalyptus. We prefer taking cuttings because we can grow these indoors without any problems. It lets us keep an eye on them more as well.

Take the cuttings in spring once small leaves are sprouting out from them. This time of the year they are full of life and ready to grow. Dip them in rooting hormone if you want to increase your chances.

Place them in a container with water, filled about 1 – 2 inches up. Leave them here for about 2 weeks and make sure they get plenty of suns. Fill up with more water when you see it’s starting to drain out. It’s important that there is always water in there for the roots to continue growing.

Once you see clear roots coming out you can either plant it on freeland if you wish. Or you can plant it in a pot and have it growing outdoors for the summer and then bring it indoors.

FAQ

Does Eucalyptus Come Back Every Year?

Eucalyptus is not like a herb that you will cut down completely at the end of the year and then have come back. Instead, it’s a tree that will continue growing. Even if you cut it down at the end of the year it will probably come back actually. The tree is very resilient and will quickly establish itself where it’s grown.

Why Doesn’t My Eucalyptus Plant Smell In The Shower?

Your eucalyptus will probably not smell a lot in your shower because the soil is poor. The case with eucalyptus is that the better the soil is the more the plant will smell. We, therefore, recommend using some fertilizer in the soil to make it healthy again. Some watering probably wouldn’t hurt it either.

Is Eucalyptus Poisonous To Dogs?

Since the eucalyptus tree contains a lot of essential oils, those can be very bad for dogs and pets all around. They can be poisonous and make them very sick. So if you want to grow a eucalyptus tree at home with pets we recommend growing it where they will not be near it.