The Eucalyptus gunnii plant, a.k.a. Eucalyptus Silver Drop, is one of the easiest to grow and maintain. This is good news for any beginner gardeners out there reading this guide. Plus, it is an aromatic herb with various benefits – chances are you may have noticed the many cosmetic products containing Eucalyptus.
Native to Tasmania and Australia, the Silver Drop plant has highly fragrant foliage, which looks beautiful when planted alone as well as with other types of plants. Its typical scent is extremely pleasant. The Eucalyptus Silver Drop has a refreshing menthol smell that is maintained even when you dry off the foliage. This will come in handy if you want to use it in flower arrangements, for instance.
Grown in a container or in your garden, the Silver Drop is an annual medium-height plant that blooms during summer. In a garden, it complements colourful flowers beautifully with its silver and dark green foliage.
Are you interested in discovering the Eucalyptus Silver Drop plant? Keep reading to find out more about this stunning aromatic herb!
About Eucalyptus Silver Drop
- Eucalyptus Silver Drop is an ideal plant for both fresh and dried floral arrangements. Plus, it works well planted in a container or an outdoor landscape.
- The Silver Drop is native to Tasmania and Australia, so it is a drought-tolerant and heat-loving plant that requires a great deal of direct sunlight to grow healthy and properly.
- Part of the Myrtaceae family, the Eucalyptus Silver Drop belongs to the gunnii species, also known as cider gum. Therefore, the Silver Drop is a small to medium-sized subtropical woody evergreen plant or shrub.
- An interesting fact about the Silver Drop Eucalyptus is that it is the most used plant for ornamental purposes, making its beautiful foliage a preferred source for floral artists.
- There are many products containing Eucalyptus. From essential oils and aromatherapy products to cosmetic items like bath oils, lotions, soaps, and shampoos. Research has shown that this plant can have various health benefits like relieving respiratory issues and sinus congestion. Its strong menthol fragrance from the foliage contributes to these benefits.
- Essential oils containing Eucalyptus have been used for centuries in different parts of the world. From Indigenous Australian medicine to Indian Ayurvedic medicine, its role was that of an antibacterial, antifungal agent, or respiratory symptom relief.
- The Eucalyptus plant, more specifically its leaves and bark, contain cineole, an organic compound with disinfecting, antiseptic and antibacterial properties. For this reason, many skincare products contain Eucalyptus extracts.
- Because the Eucalyptus plant is native to Tasmania and Australia, it is known that the plant’s leaves are a preferred food choice for koalas.
Eucalyptus Silver Drop Features: An Overview
- One of the most significant aspects when it comes to the Eucalyptus Silver Drop is its scent. The foliage is incredibly aromatic, giving a refreshing menthol fragrance. For this reason, it is widely known that the Eucalyptus gunnii is an aromatic herb.
- The Eucalyptus gunnii is non-toxic for koalas and is attractive to some insects as well. But due to its high levels of cineole, if consumed in high concentrations, the Eucalyptus can be toxic.
- This plant is called Silver Drop for a very good reason. The plant’s leaves have a round shape of a silvery blue-green colour. Silver Drop Eucalyptus has fragrant evergreen foliage, maintaining the silver colour throughout winter.
- During the summer, the Eucalyptus Silver Drop’s flower blooms in white colour. An interesting fact in regards to this plant’s flowers is that they don’t really have petals. Instead, they have numerous stamens emerging from a cone-looking bud, quite similar to a dandelion. This fascinating flower truly complements the plant’s round-shaped silvery green leaves.
- The Silver Drop plant’s foliage has a waxy texture and a leather-like surface, given that the leaves contain oil glands. There is a combination of bitter and menthol when it comes to flavour, which gives a cooling sensation. This comes from the Eucalyptus fragrances of menthol and pine.
Growing Eucalyptus Silver Drop
It is not a difficult task to grow a Eucalyptus Silver Drop. So, don’t let yourself be intimidated before you get the chance to learn more about this beautiful plant. The proper light conditions for the Silver Drop are full sun exposure. A minimum of six hours is recommended for this plant to receive direct sunlight in order to support growing and blooming. This being said, it can tolerate part sun for a few hours.
The Silver Drop Eucalyptus is the type of plant that can be grown both indoors and outdoors, depending on the space you have available. So, it can look beautiful in a large container or pot on your patio, in your backyard, or in your living room provided it receives enough natural light and full sun. The Silver Drop can also be grown in landscapes or near flower beds.
Try to avoid keeping the Silver Drop Eucalyptus in cold weather with drying winds. Given that it is an annual plant requiring full sun exposure, these low temperatures could harm its growth.
Eucalyptus gunnii Seeds, From Amazon
Planting Eucalyptus Silver Drop
The proper season for planting the Silver Drop Eucalyptus is during spring. Once planted, the maintenance needed for this evergreen shrub is relatively low, as there are no complicated requirements needed to take care of it. One of the most important aspects to know if you wish to grow this type of Eucalyptus in your backyard is that it needs full sunlight.
When it comes to the type of soil that supports growth, a noteworthy mention would be that the Eucalyptus Silver Drop tolerates most of them. So, you can plant it in chalky, loamy, sandy soil as well as clay. In terms of pH soil, for this shrub, the neutral works best. This puts the pH of the soil at 7. However, the Silver Drop can also be planted in slightly acidic soil.
Whether you plant it in an outdoor container or pot or choose the outdoor landscape, it is necessary to mention that the Eucalyptus Silver Drop is a thriller plant. This means that it is a type of tall plant with an upright habit of growth. Therefore, planting should be done in the centre of the container. If you opt for an outdoor landscape, put the Silver Drop in the middle, surrounded by smaller plants.
Watering Eucalyptus Silver Drop
As mentioned above, the Eucalyptus Silver Drop tolerates many types of soils. For instance, for clay soils, watering can be done more rarely, given that these soils are able to hold moisture. On the other hand, sandy soils require watering more often in order to maintain them moist. The Eucalyptus Silver Drop needs well-drained soil but moisture-retentive. It is crucial not to let the soil dry out, so watering should be done frequently.
To check the moisture of the soil, you can insert a trowel to examine whether the soil has dried. The first 5 to 10 cm clearly shows when the soil needs watering. Usually, Eucalyptus Silver Drop plants need watering once a week. But, depending on the soil type used, this might differ, which is why it is recommended you check the soil moisture if you are unsure.
The Eucalyptus Silver Drop is a heat-loving, drought-tolerant shrub that can be planted both outdoors and indoors, being suitable for landscapes as well as containers. It grows best in full sun and when watered frequently to maintain the soil moist and well-drained.
Propagating Eucalyptus Silver Drop
You can grow the Eucalyptus Silver Drop plant by yourself, whether by getting cuttings from a previous plant or purchasing them at the store. This is called propagating, and it can be easily done for the Silver Drop with the stem tip cutting method.
Don’t worry; it isn’t a complicated operation at all. All you need for this method to work is a cutting of about 4 to 6 inches (10 – 15 cm) long from the parent plant’s stem. The best time to do this is in late spring or early summer. Then, you will have to plant this cutting in a small pot containing moist potting soil. It is crucial you maintain the soil moisture. When the roots have developed, you can transfer the cutting to a larger pot with fresh soil.
In Conclusion
The Eucalyptus Silver Drop is an aromatic herb that is a valued ingredient in essential oils for aromatherapy. It can have health benefits, alleviating respiratory symptoms, such as sinus congestion. This is thanks to its menthol fragrance within the leaves, containing cineole, the organic compound with antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
Eucalyptus Silver Drop is an evergreen shrub with silvery blue and green foliage and white flowers that bloom during summer. For beginners, the Silver Drop is an excellent plant, as it requires low maintenance.
The most important thing is to plant it in a place where it can receive full sun. Apart from this, you need to ensure its soil is maintained moist, so water it regularly to avoid dryness. Where you plant, it is a matter of preference, given that the Silver Drops is a plant that looks beautiful in an outdoor landscape as well as a large container on your patio.
If you have already planted a Silver Drop Eucalyptus, don’t hesitate to share your journey with us in the comments section. We cannot wait to hear it!
