Cider Gum Eucalyptus Trees

• Variety: Cider Gum, the hardy eucalyptus with round blue leaves
• Common name: Cider gum, Tasmanian cider tree
• Latin name: Eucalyptus gunnii
• Type: Evergreen tree
• Mature height: More than 12m (40ft) if left unpruned
• Height if pruned: Whatever you choose. Cut hard each spring and it stays a blue-leaved bush
• Spread: More than 8m unpruned
• Growth rate: Fast. Full height in 10 to 20 years
• Foliage: Young leaves round and bright blue-grey. Adult leaves sickle-shaped and grey-green
• Bark: Peeling, cream and brown
• Flowers: White, in small clusters, in summer
• Soil: Prefers slightly acid to neutral. Tolerates most soils
• Position: Full sun, with shelter while young
• Hardiness: H5, hardy in most of the UK. Shelter it for the first few winters
• RHS AGM: Yes, awarded 1993
• Good for: Fast evergreen height, screening, cut foliage
• Container suitable: The 3 litre size, kept pruned, for a few years
• Similar varieties: Azura (the same species as a compact shrub)
• Sold as: Pot-grown plants in 3 litre pots, and trees 250-300cm tall in 10 litre pots
• Plant: Any month. Late spring gives it the longest run before its first winter
• Delivered: Year-round, whenever it is in stock. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Cider gum is two plants in one: left alone, a fast evergreen tree of more than 12m (40ft) with peeling bark; cut hard every spring, a shrub-sized fountain of round blue leaves.

Cider Gum Eucalyptus: A Big Evergreen Tree, or Blue Leaves Every Year

Cider gum, Eucalyptus gunnii, is a large evergreen tree from Tasmania that grows more than 12m tall and 8m wide, with bark that peels in strips of cream and brown. It has held the RHS Award of Garden Merit since 1993. The young leaves are round and a bright blue-grey; as the tree matures they give way to longer, sickle-shaped leaves in grey-green. Small clusters of white flowers open in summer. The RHS gives it 10 to 20 years to reach full height, which for a tree this size is fast.

You have a decision to make at planting, because the round blue leaf that everyone wants is the juvenile one. Leave the tree to grow and you get height, shade and handsome bark, with the blue foliage out of reach at the top. Cut it back hard each spring, which is what the RHS advises for the best juvenile foliage, and it stays a blue-leaved plant at whatever height you make the cut, with stems to spare for the house. Both are good answers. Only the first needs a big garden.

It is rated H5, among the hardiest of the gums, and the RHS adds "shelter when young": plant it in full sun, out of the coldest wind, and the first few winters are the ones that count. Our guide on how to plant a tree with a stake covers the planting.

Planting Companions

If it is the blue foliage you are after and space is short, Azura is the same species selected to stay compact, sold as a shrub. For height in a hurry, cider gum sits among the fastest growing trees we sell, and as an evergreen it earns its place with the trees for privacy and screening. For peeling bark beside peeling bark, in white instead of cream and brown, see the birches. Underneath, the lavenders enjoy the same sun and echo the grey.

Why Ashridge?

Ashridge Nurseries was named Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025 by its customers. Your cider gum is pot-grown in peat-free compost and comes in two sizes: a 3 litre plant to grow on or keep pruned, and a tree of 250 to 300cm for height from the first day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does a cider gum grow?

A cider gum grows more than 12m tall and 8m wide if left unpruned, reaching full height in 10 to 20 years. Pruned hard each spring, it stays at whatever height you choose.

How do I keep a eucalyptus small?

Keep a eucalyptus small by cutting it back hard every spring, which also gives the best round blue leaves. If you would rather not prune, plant the compact form Azura instead.

Why have my eucalyptus leaves changed shape?

Eucalyptus leaves change shape as the tree matures: young growth is round and blue, adult growth is sickle-shaped and grey-green. Hard pruning in spring brings the round leaves back.

Is cider gum hardy in the UK?

Cider gum is rated H5 by the RHS, which makes it hardy through most UK winters and one of the hardiest eucalyptus. Give it full sun and shelter while it is young.

Can I grow a cider gum in a pot?

A cider gum grows in a large pot for a few years if you start with the 3 litre size and prune it hard each spring. The tall 10 litre tree belongs in the ground.

What is the difference between cider gum and Azura eucalyptus?

They are the same species, Eucalyptus gunnii. Cider gum is the full-sized tree of more than 12m, and Azura is a selected compact form sold as a shrub.