Description
Eucalyptus archeri
E. archeri closely resembles and is related to E. gunni, but E. archeri ultimately produces a much smaller tree in maturity; making it a better choice for many locations. In a reasonable growing period (if planted well) it produces an admirable evergreen hedge-screen (2-3m tall when pruned), particularly as it is very tolerant of exposure (windy conditions) and salt laden winds.
Shoots ‘n Leaves: Young shoots are striking bright flamingo pink in spring, with silvery white and steely blue
Young stems are carmine/purple with a silvery white bloom give way to pinky brown colour as they mature
Juvenile Foliage: Rounded, a striking silvery blue.
Adult Foliage: Lanceolate/elliptical leaves in blue/green shades, 4-9 cm long.
Bark: Very attractive smooth white/grey bark, which flakes and peels to show salmon pink, pewter, chalk white and coffee shades, in a mosaic pattern.
Flowers: White and in groups of 3. In the UK, it appears to flower intermittently between January and June.
Leaf Aroma: Typical fresh Eucalyptus aroma.
Rate of Growth: Medium to fast growth rate of 1.5 to 2 metres per year.
Height in maturity, if left unpruned: A medium sized Eucalyptus of approximately 12-15m tall if unchecked. If pruned, it can be trained to form a screening tree, a lollipop or a multi-stemmed bush like a species rose or coppiced Hazel tree. Responds well to coppicing and pollarding, when done at the right time. To receive monthly pruning and aftercare advice, sign up to our Gumnut Club – its free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Hardiness: Very hardy. Tolerant of exposed conditions. The young trees in our nursery survived well, during the winter 2010/11. A mature root-system should tolerate down to around -15°C.
Hardiness in Eucalyptus is governed by provenance of seed, how it is grown (i.e. high nitrogen levels reduces cold tolerance), age of the tree – the older your tree, the hardier it will be (younger Eucs are more susceptible to frost damage).