Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum)

Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum)

Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum)

Around town the many coloured forms of Eucalyptus ficifolia are coming into full bloom. This is a spectacular plant in flower. Amazingly it grows very well here although probably not as large as it would be in better conditions. Some plants show some yellowing due to the lime in the soil but many seem to grow beyond the lime.

The colours range from deep dark red through vermillion, letter box red, orange, tangerine and shades in between and white. I haven’t seen pink but I believe there is that colour form also. This is one of the plants which, when grown from seed, cannot be guaranteed to give the colour required. Some clever people have been trying to graft Eucalypts and strike them also. I’ve read some articles on the techniques but have not had the inclination to try.

Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum)

Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum)

 

8 Responses to “Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum)”

  1. […] I took the camera out this morning to take photos of the different colour forms of Eucalyptus ficifolia (Western Australian Flowering Gum). The hot north winds that we have had lately have finished the flowers on some trees. There is a lovely deep red form I could not get close to so I will have to knock on the door and ask if I can invade their backyard. More about Eucalyptus ficifolia here. […]

  2. roy says:

    I live in Brisbane and I want to try grafting some Western Australian Mallees any Idea what rootstock to use. Thanks Roy

  3. Ali Gauher khan says:

    Will eucalyptus fecifolia do good in pakistan where in summers temperature touches 45c and in winter it can go down as 4c with a rainfall of average 12 inches annual, four months winter and eight months summer.

    • Corinne says:

      Hello from Australia. Technically you may have problems with such a long dry summer. However we have had drought in my locality and the established trees have managed well. We have 13.5 inches of rain on average. We have frost well below 4C and I suspect that once established, trees manage in the frosty conditions, so long as they are not severe frost. They also grow in a higher rainfall area. The key will be in managing the first few years. They will need supplementary water while young. Deep watering less frequently is best once the tree is in growth mode. Keep the root ball moist for the first summer at least. Make sure there is good air circulation around the plants if it is a humid climate. These are hardy trees and beautiful in flower. I hope you get the pleasure of being able to grow them and see them flower for yourself. My resource says that if the seedling trees have red stems and red leaf stalks there is a good chance that the tree will produce red flowers!

  4. Heather Fortune says:

    Please help me. I love eucalyptus ficifolia and have two on my nature strip – planted about four years ago. They are about 10 feet high and nice shapes, but not the sign of a flower. What do I need to do or what is the reason for this disappointment.

    I wish Councils would adopt these trees more readily for street plantations. They are so spectacular.

    I also have another eucalyptus planted by Council on the other corner of my block. It is about three years old and flowered beautifully last year. The rest of the trees down the street all flowered magnificantly this year, but not a flower on mine. It received the same treatment that all the others in the street did with a contractor watering and fertilising it regularly.

    Please help me. I am a tree lover.

    Heather

    • Corinne says:

      Hi Heather,
      There is nothing you can do to hurry up the flowering. If others are flowering, yours should not be too long. They are spectacular in flower, regardless of the flower colour.

  5. Hilde Slinger says:

    Hi everybody,
    I was just in California where I saw and photographed the Eucalyptus ficifolia. Also 10 years ago I took a picture of this beautyful tree.
    So… in spite of the name, the tree is very happy in California,
    from San Francisco till Los Angeles.

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