Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ – Silver Cider Gum. 1 of our beautiful 7 dwarf evergreen trees

Description Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ – Silver Cider Gum. 1 of our beautiful 7 dwarf evergreen trees Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ is an elegant tree with a slim upright habit and striking silvery foliage – as the name suggests. However it equally makes a fabulous short bushy shrub anywhere from 1.2m up to 2.4m (you choose), when pruned on an annual basis. ‘Silverana’ also grows well in patio pots and large planters – do continue to grow it in the air-pot container system. For more information on this topic, visit our Guidance Notes on Growing in Containers here. For more information on the attributes of Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ hop over to the tab labelled ‘How to Use’ Biometrics for Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ Shoots ‘n Leaves: Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ has fabulous foliage. Young shoots are intensely silver and white – great for floral art work. Juvenile leaves are typically metallic silver and rounded, like its parent E. gunnii, which makes it particularly popular with florists and flower arrangers. Intermediate foliage quickly becomes ‘oval shaped’ while retaining most of it’s striking silver grey colour. Adult leaves are silvery, elegant, long and lanceolate like its parent E. gunnii. Bark: Typical of the gunnii group – peeling and flaking with age. Young bark is silvery. We are waiting to evaluate the mature bark in the nursery trial plot. Flowers: White, in small clusters in June/July time. Leaf Aroma:  Mild Eucalyptol.  For a stronger aroma, choose either  of its cousins E archeri or E urnigera or the more dwarf  Eucalyptus ‘France Bleu’ Rate of Growth: Medium 1.0-1.5m (3-4ft) per year, but faster the E ‘Azura’. Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ Height in Maturity:  Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’  responds well to regular annual pruning on March 18th  to keep it small, either as a bushy shrub or shrub-on-a-stick. If maintained as a pollarded specimen, it will take on the size and shape of a Pittosporum shrub or coppiced Hazel tree. Can be managed anywhere between 2.4m to 5-6m tall (8ft – 20ft)  with annual pruning.  Visit our Pruning Guidance Notes here Without pruning to control its size: Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’  will become a medium sized tree, moderately fast, eventually growing up to about 10-12m tall  (30 ft-ish) after about 10-15 years. Pruning should only be carried out between March and July, unless you are growing for cut foliage. Eucalypts only heal over their pruning wounds when the sap is actively rising. Please refrain from pruning ornamental trees and shrubs between September and end of February. Pruning out of season could lead to ingress of a fatal disease. Hardiness: estimated that the root-system should tolerate down to around -12 °C to -15 °C mark, once mature. Our stock sailed through winter 2022/2023 really well, without any scorch or leaf damage and the trees planted in our field did equally well, with no sign of damage. We had -13°C  that winter. Protect E. ‘Silverana’ from severely cold biting winds and bad winter weather for the first few years (3-5 years from planting). Getting E. ‘Silverana’ well rooted into deep soil is essential for this cultivar. See our planting notes for how to do this easily. Hardiness in Eucalyptus is governed by provenance/genetics, 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. For more information on how to grow your Eucalyptus in a stress-free way, visit our Guidance Notes here and scroll to the very bottom