Scientific: Eucalyptus torquata
Common: coral gum, Coolgardie gum
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: Locally endemic to a small range in southwestern Australia.
Pronounciation: Ewe-ka-LIP-tus tore-QUA-ta
Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-24
USDA 9-11
Landscape Use: Small, accent and/or shade tree for commercial and residential landscapes, patio tree, parks, large raised landscape planters, oasis and xeric landscape design themes.
Form & Character: Regular to irregular evergreen tree of variable form. A smaller and more refined eucalypt of near malle stature.
Growth Habit: Evergreen, woody, broadleaf perennial tree, moderately slow 30-feet tall with a near equal or greater spread. Branches can be pendulous from weight of flowers and capsules, strong dense wood.
Foliage/Texture: Gray to light green lanceolate leaves with blunt acuminate tip, 3-inches long, rarely falcate, leaves and petioles often tinged with red. Trunk gray and somewhat rough when young to twisted, rough and brownish gray with age; overall medium texture.
Flowers & Fruits: The flower buds are like little Japanese lanterns. The flowers themselves are a beautiful coral pink with tinges of red and yellow to 1-inch across, fruit are a capsule that is pediculate to 1/2 inch in diameter.
Seasonal Color: Coral gum offers a truly wonderful display of flowers during late winter.
Temperature: Heat tolerant to 122oF (though leaves will fry at around 118oF), cold hardy to between 17o and 22oF.
Light: Full sun
Soil: Tolerant
Watering: Moderately drought tolerant, but best with occasional summer water.
Pruning: Because coral gum is more squat-like in its natural habit, one will need to elevate the crown base (crown lifting) to the desired height. Also, sparingly head back mature trees (only slightly) to encourage canopy density. Excessive crown thinning should be avoided.
Propagation: Seed
Disease and Pests: None
Additional comments: Coral gum is an EXCELLENT and TOUGH (yes, that's pirate tough - ARRRRRRR!), small accent tree for smaller urban spaces in the desert Southwest. It is somewhat variable in form and seed propagation makes selecting young coral gum specimens in containers based on desired form an important part of the landscape design and planting process. It can also be grown for cut flowers.
