Eucalyptus are woody, upright, and open, evergreen trees or shrubs in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) with long, modestly branched stems. They are native from the Philippines to Australia, and there are hundreds of species. These species are generally recommended for the coastal or tropical South as they do not do well in cold weather. In zones 7a and lower, they are prone to die back to the ground. Plant them in full sun and well-draining soil. Once established, they are drought tolerant. The trees are noted for their peeling bark, blue-green leaves, and distinct aroma attributed to oils in the leaves. Eucalyptus oil is used as an antiseptic, an insect repellent and decongestant. Though evergreen, the leaves of silver dollar tree only last a year or so and then they drop in favor of new leaves being produced. So, if you've noticed dead leaves accumulating beneath your tree, it is not necessarily a cause for worry. Grow silver dollar tree as a conservatory plant or as an ornamental tree in a drought-tolerant garden in hardiness zone 7b or higher. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Accent; Flowering Tree; Screen/Privacy; Shade Tree; Small groups; Street Tree
Garden tags
#evergreen #woody shrub #drought tolerant #shrub #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #foliage #fragrant leaves #HS304
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Drought
Particularly resistant to
Drought tolerant
Fire risk
extreme flammability
Poison severity
High
Poison parts
Bark; Leaves
Poison symptoms
Salivation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, coma, depression, weakness. Skin redness, irritation, and burning from handling leaves and bark. Eucalyptus oil is extremely toxic if eaten. Only a very few species contain cyanogenic glycosides.
Toxic principle
Eucalyptus oil, eucalyptol, cyanogenic glycoside
Contact dermatitis
Yes
Toxicity summary
High severity poison; parts: Bark; Leaves; contact dermatitis