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Eucalyptus crenulata (Silver Gum) - A small tree to about 25 feet with rough bark on the trunk turning to a smooth grayish brown color on the branches which hold a dense head of small glaucous blue-green triangular shaped juvenile leaves that have crenulate (finely scalloped) margins and are opposite and sessile, so held tightly to the stems as if skewered. Older leaves are hidden within the canopy and are slightly larger, a little greener and with short petioles. This is one of the few Eucalyptus species that retains its distinctive juvenile foliage throughout its life. The attractive white glaucus flower buds are held in tight umbels on a short peduncle and open to display honey-scented white flowers in late spring and summer.
Plant in full sun to light shade - it is noted as one of the more shade tolerant of Eucalyptus. Though from a riparian habit in a moister climate, this plant has proven to grow well in a dry location in the central coast of California. It has been reported to be hardy to at least 15 °F. It tolerates regular hard pruning which can maintain shape and promote flushes of the attractive juvenile leaves. An attractive small tree with foliage that provides a good contrast with other greener plants and is useful in cut flower arrangements.
Silver Gum is rare in the wild where it is listed as an endangered species at risk of extinction and only found in the Acheron River valley and at Yering near Yarra Glen and in Victoria, Australia where it grows in swampy or poorly draining soils. It is also called the Victorian Silver Gum, Buxton gum and Buxton Silver Gum. The Buxton Silver Gum Nature Conservation Reserve near the small town of Buxton in Victoria has the largest remaining wild stand of this species. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'eu' meaning "well" and 'kalypto' meaning 'to cover' as with a lid and an allusion to the united calyx-lobes and petals that is called an operculum that forms a lid or cap that is shed when the flowers open. The specific epithet comes from the Latin word 'crenula' the diminutive of 'crena' meaning notched in reference to the minutely scalloped leaf edges.
It has been planted as an ornamental throughout the world but is relatively uncommon in the US. The only known plant in California is planted on the campus of the University of California Santa Barbara, where the seed for our crop was collected. Our thanks go out to Cameron Hannah-Bick, Biology Greenhouse Manager at UCSB for providing the seedling plants for our crops that we have grown since 2018.
This information about Eucalyptus crenulata displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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