Eucalyptus caesia – Silver Gungurru Mallee seeds

Farm Plants and Seeds

Business Mission: Provide backyard growers with seed of Australian Native plants, inparticular, ornamental species, with aesthetic attributes, to create good vibes and a sense of peace. Queensland, Australia

$3.25

100 seeds

I love this little tree, kind of spindly and gracefully weepy, with big bright flowers that range from red to pink. I found there is some variation in form that makes a difference in general appearance, some more upright than others, some more spindly.
Another distinguishing factor of this tree is the white powder that covers the branches, flower buds and fruit. It has attractive deep brown bark which peals in narrow, curling strips to reveal a pale undersurface.
Native Australian plant found in Western Australia. Can reach 6m. Very drought hardy, can survive on a rocky slope with only 230mm/annum, but to establish, water well at planting time and monitor soil moisture until rains return the following winter. Give a deep watering twice a week through the first summer. – I found that is the best and common way to establish a lot of natives in dry climates. Once established, it should not require further water.

 

It would be great to see some photos of the flower colour produced from these seeds – so I can add them onto the page listings. Please, feel free to take as many photos of as you want, and contact me via email; [email protected]

 

I will attach a copy of my Euc notes: (but if you want to look up exact temperatures for Eucalyptus germination online, I am sure someone has tested them and written about it somewhere, although I found Gum seed germination/ seedling growing info lacking online).

In Australia, Eucalyptus seed germinates best in spring or summer, and they are very easy to germinate and grow.

I like to fill a tube tray with potting mix, then sprinkle seeds over the top, (any pot will do though), then lightly cover them (if they are really fine, I don’t bother covering, as the water spray will ‘knock’ them into the potting mix), and keep them moist until they germinate, which can take anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks  – this is best done before it rains, the seeds seem to be able to sense that rain is coming, and so they will germinate just before, if you can time it right, it helps. You need to it out of direct sun, especially hot afternoon sun.

When my seeds germinate in the tubes, I thin out the smaller ones, and let the stronger ones survive in the tubes, and they stay in the tubes all spring and summer, (they like tubes, as they need a deeper pot for their long central root), and they should be big enough to be planted into the ground (desired spot) by autumn. Good potting mix is essential. I make my own with compost, perlite, blood n bone, and organic fertilizer (this is why you compost your food scraps and garden clippings – gold for potting mix). Water every so often, you can often tell from looking at them if they need water, ie if the leaves are wilting, give them a good soak. I spray often with Seasol and then Powerfeed – that helps tremendously.

If you don’t have any tube stock trays just use a big pot or a little seed tray, and either prick the little seedlings out to repot them in individual pots, or prick all but one out to get big. If you just want 1 plant, then do 5 – I find there are many things that always go wrong, bugs, theft, forgot to water, left out in hot sun, kangaroos, bush turkeys……its good to have back ups.

They should be at least 30cm high before you plant them out into the ground, and planting them out is best done in autumn so they don’t have a harsh summer to deal with when they’re establishing.

When I plant them out in the ground, I always put a tree guard over them to stop kangaroos from nibbling, this creates a little environment for them which they seem to like. Plus, you can easily see where you planted it.

Eucalyptus need water the first year to establish,  – well, they did in Gunnedah, but here in the subtropics, I have found I can “plant and forget”, and they just grow!! Wow.

In Gunnedah (temperate climate), sometimes I still had to water to establish a second or third year, depending on weather.

Most natives do not like having their roots disturbed, so be careful if you repot, and when you plant out.

I find it best to plant natives out before they get too old, otherwise, their central tap root will be stunted, and not ‘take hold’ in the ground to ground itself, and will most likely blow over in a storm.

So good on you for growing them from seed in the first place.

I hope this explains it for you, if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

For most seeds (unless otherwise stated): Sow Spring – Lightly cover and keep moist until germination – best to do in the hot before a rain event. Grow seedling over the spring/summer in shade house with ideal conditions, then plant out autumn with occasional watering for the first 2 years.
Seeds are usually collected from tree/plant shown in photo, this one was growing at Gunnedah, NSW. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
My business mission: is to provide backyard owners with seed of Australian Native plants, in particular ornamental species, with aesthetic attributes, to create good vibes and a sense of peace.
And my seller promise; if you purchase from me, I will send it to you.
I use recycled packaging. And I make a note of sending more seeds than stated in page listing. Plus I’m a definite advocate for ‘organics’ as much as possible, there are no pesticides at my place!

Got something to discuss?


Guest
Trevor Manning
4 months 9 days ago

At what stage do you take seed from a caesia, silver princess? Very dry nuts, green, half way?? Also mine is being attacked by scale! Any thoughts?

Vendor
Emily Bieman
4 months 9 days ago

Hi Trevor, Very dry is best. But, before the pods have opened on the tree. Pods need to be left on the tree for at least a full season after they have flowered, if they are picked too soon, then germination may be sporadic if at all, from those seeds.
Green pods are definitely too soon! I have collected unopened pods from some branches, several years after they have flowered with good results. And having said that, I have collected some pods from branches that have been broken off, so collected before they were ready, and they still turned brown and ripened, released the seeds from those pods, with good germination results. I am not aware of any animals that eat eucalyptus seed from the pods, unlike acacia, which attracts the birds. However I have had a whole young tree, full of seed, disappear overnight, with some branches scattered on the ground; so either someone or something, has had a go at trying to get the pods; goodness only knows what it was!
At the moment my native hibiscus is being attacked by scale, and I’m trying a little bit of diluted detergent in a sprayer, it’s too early to tell whether it is working, but I’ve read that it does work.

Guest
Ben
2 months 25 days ago

Hi, could you recommend a good quality potting mix that is ready to go or is it really in my best interest to make my own? Many thanks 🙂

Vendor
Emily Bieman
2 months 19 days ago

I can’t recommend any as I never purchase premade potting mix. I find my potting mix is always better than store bought because I use wormy compost. So, I couldn’t tell you which is a good one, or which are the bad ones. However I do recall some years ago now, when I first started making up trays, I would purchase the cheapest potting mix available from the supermarket, which they no longer sell, but it was extremely poor quality, mainly pine I suspect, and nothing would actually germinate in it; but I found if I mixed my compost and a little bit of mulchy garden soil in with it – it was fine to use. Certainly the cheapest way to do it.
I have found, I get too disappointed if I lose any seedlings, so it’s better to get the potting mix right with a healthy humus!