Eucalyptus Tree Growth Rate: How Quickly Does It Grow?

How fast do eucalyptus grow
 

Commonly referred as the gum tree, eucalyptus trees belong to the Myrtaceae family. Though these trees are originally from Australia, they have adapted themselves to different climates and geographical areas.

 

So much so, that they have invaded every part of the world and have become the reigning tree in parks, corners of the streets and landscapes.

 

There are more than 600 species of eucalyptus. They are usually cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical regions like Europe, America, Australia, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Africa and New Guinea.

 

These evergreen trees were one of the oldest trees on the planet about 500 million years ago. Eucalyptus trees are prized for their grey-green leaves and peeling colored bark, giving them an appealing patterned snakeskin effect.

 

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When bruised, menthol like scent emanates from its leaves. Eucalyptus make for striking specimens with appealing eye-catching bark and evergreen grey-blue leaves. They shed their barks every year to get rid of lichens, fungus, mosses and parasites that might be living in the bark.

 

Some of these trees often grow into tall and majestic specimens and can be pruned to keep them compact, while few others form shrubs. Eucalyptus plant growth rate is upto 30-200 feet tall with ease.

 

Eucalyptus tree growth rate is up to 50-60 feet in optimal environment, but when it comes to home gardens, it usually remains at 6-15 feet in height.

 

These hardy trees can tolerate any type of soil and grows in half shade and full sunlight. The best time to plant eucalyptus tree is spring. Although there are many benefits of eucalyptus, most people grow it for ornamental and landscaping purposes.

 

Eucalyptus Overview

Eucalyptus trees are easy to care, provided they are grown in the right conditions.

 

In this guide, let’s look at some of the aspects of eucalyptus including – how fast do eucalyptus trees grow and eucalyptus growth rate per year etc.

 

Name: Eucalyptus, silver dollar tree, argyle apple
 
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus cinerea
 
Family: Myrtaceae
 
Native To: Australia
 
Toxicity: Toxic to people and pets

 

How Quickly Does A Eucalyptus Tree Grow?

Eucalyptus tree growth rate is quite fast. They can gain several feet per year.

 

Eucalyptus trees should also be grown in a sheltered, sunny area where they can be protected from cold winds. The best time to plant them is spring or early summer. They should always be watered during dry spells in their initial years.

 

These evergreen trees look best in a lawn, border or as screen planting in a line or group. There should always be sufficient room for these large trees to grow. Eucalyptus don’t like moist soil. Also, the soil pH should be neutral to acid. These trees don’t survive in alkaline soil.

 

Too much moist soil causes discoloration, weak growth and ultimately the death of the tree. Strong winds are likely to damage the leaves.

 

It is suggested to grow eucalyptus in mulched landscape beds and borders. Eucalyptus plant growth rate is maximum when they are planted at least 10 feet away from lawn area. They don’t require fertilizer, so it is advised to keep them at a good distance from a regularly fertilized lawn. If they are planted in the middle of a lawn, then they would grow at a much slower rate.

 

Eucalyptus don’t need regular pruning. To grow them as shrubs, hard prune them every year or every two years in early spring for an optimum eucalyptus tree growth rate.

 

So, how fast do eucalyptus trees grow depends on multiple factors stated above. Take care of these and you will have a good growth.

 
Related: How fast do rainbow eucalyptus grow?|Eucalyptus Winter Care
 

How Long Do Eucalyptus Trees Live?

Ecualyptus trees can live a long time. Most species can survive up to 250 years in the wild. Blue gum eucalyptus in Australia can live up to 400 years. Eucalyptus wood is sometimes used as a less expensive and more easily farmed hardwood.

 

Planting Eucalyptus

When you plan to plant eucalyptus from seeds, you should first start them indoors. You should begin with seed prep in spring 10 to 12 weeks prior to the last frost. If you are transplanting your eucalyptus into the garden in the spring, do so after frost has passed.
 
While selecting a planting site, opt for a site with lot of sunlight and a soil with sharp drainage. Also, make sure that there is enough room for the tree to grow and flourish.
 
You need to make sure that nothing blocks the sunlight from reaching a young eucalyptus. This plant can also be grown in containers and indoors, provided that they are given lot of light.
 
While planting multiple eucalyptus, make sure to space them at least 8 feet apart. The depth should be the same while planting them in pots.
 

How To Care For Eucalyptus?

There are lot of things that need to be kept in mind for eucalyptus care, only then can we attain good eucalyptus tree growth rate.

 

Light

Eucalyptus can grow well in lot of light, so it is good to plant them in a spot where there is at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. When planting them indoors they should be kept near a bright window.

Soil

Eucalyptus requires soil with good drainage. A slightly acidic to neutral soil pH works the best.

Water

Eucalyptus is drought tolerant. However, if left dry for long periods might cause it to drop leaves or branches. To check if the plant needs watering, stick your finger into the soil and feel dryness.

Temperature and Humidity

Eucalyptus plants grow well in warm temperatures ranging between 65 – 75 degrees. It likes moderate humidity and cannot survive in temperatures below 50 degrees. So if you are growing your eucalyptus plant in a container, then bring it indoors if you are expecting chilly temperatures.

Fertilizer

Eucalyptus doesn’t require fertilizer, if you are growing them in the ground. However, if these plants are kept in pots then they will absorb nutrients more quickly. So it is necessary to fertilize them with a houseplant fertilizer containing low-nitrogen throughout the growing season.

 

 

Eucalyptus Tree Growth Rate: FAQs

Q 1. Is eucalyptus easy to grow?

Ans. Be it indoor or outdoor, it is easy to grow eucalyptus. It is a pretty self-going tree. It doesn’t require much of maintenance. Placing the tree in the right spot with 6-8 hours outdoors and 10 hours indoor sunlight is very important. Eucalyptus growth rate per year is quite fast.

 

Q 2. How long does it take for Eucalyptus to sprout?

Ans. Eucalyptus seeds can be sown at any time of the year, but it is best to sow them in early spring or summer for a good eucalyptus plant growth rate. Warm weather will help the seedlings to grow quicker. If you sow them in cooler months, then ensure that you place the seeds somewhere warm away from cold.

 

The seeds need to be watered regularly, but not too much. They also need plenty of sunlight, at least six hours a day. Initially you need to fertilize the seeds every two weeks. Once they are established, once a month is fine.

 

When it comes to the question how quickly does a eucalyptus tree grow, it usually takes two to four weeks for the seeds to sprout.

 

Q 3. Do eucalyptus have shallow roots?

Ans. Eucalyptus are tall trees with shallow roots that spread . 90% of their roots are found in the top 12 inches of the soil.

 

Q 4. Is eucalyptus farming profitable?

Ans. Commercial cultivation of eucalyptus is good and profitable agribusiness if you have land. Eucalyptus farming is gaining popularity these days.

 

Q 5. How fast do eucalyptus trees grow in the UK and the US?

Ans. If you ask – how quickly does a eucalyptus tree grow, then the answer is eucalyptus do especially well in areas that mimic their native environment. Eucalyptus growth rate per year is quite rapid, reaching heights of about 30 to 180 feet or more with approximately 60 percent of their growth established within the first ten years.

 

Q 6. What is the fastest growing tree in the world?

Ans. The Empress Splendor is one of the fastest growing varieties of Eucalyptus. Its growth rate is 10-12 feet in its first year and can reach maturity within 10 years.

 

Q 7. Can you speed up eucalyptus plant growth rate?

Ans. If provided with the right conditions, eucalyptus tree growth rate is quite fast. There is nothing much except this that you may do to fasten the growth rate.

 

Q 8. Are eucalyptus trees good in high winds?

Ans. Eucalyptus trees are suited to high winds as they originate from high altitude slopes.

 

Q 9. Why eucalyptus trees are called Widow Makers?

Ans. Giant eucalyptus trees have a habit of dropping heavy branches. When these huge branches get inadequate water supply, they preserve their health by allowing some branches to dry and break out – a kind of self-pruning. These huge branches fall from 30 to 40 meters to the ground and do some real damage – like causing death to people, damage to cars and buildings. This has earned them the nickname of Widow Makers.

 

Q 10. What is the fastest growing eucalyptus tree?

Ans. Eucs is the fastest growing eucalyptus tree as compared to most others in cultivation.  Most of the Eucs species achieve 6 to 12 feet of new growth every year.

 

That’s all we have on how fast do eucalyptus trees grow. Hope you found answers to all the questions you were looking for.