Eucalyptus polyanthemos - Red Box - 100 Seeds

Myrtaceae - no shipment to Western Australia or Tasmania
 
Eucalyptus polyanthemos, commonly known as Red Box or (sometimes) Silver Dollar Gum in the United States is a lignotuberous tree to approximately 25m in height that occurs naturally on the central and southern tablelands of New South Wales and in central and eastern Victoria.  It is normally found in stony and gravelly soil on slight slopes and foothills in woodland.
 
The bark is fibrous, grey-brown on trunk and larger branches, or almost smooth throughout, grey, cream or pink. Juvenile leaves are orbicular, and emarginate in a dull, grey-green, adult leaves are ovate to broadly lanceolate, 5.5 - 9cm long, 1.5 - 3.5cm wide, grey or glaucous. Buds are glaucous, 1 - 2mm long and 0.2mm wide, fruits are obconical to pyriform, often glaucous, 4 - 7mm long and 3 - 6mm wide with a broad disc broad.  The creamy white, lightly perfumed flowers appear in Spring and early Summer.
 
Eucalyptus polyanthemos is known for its coin shaped, blue juvenile leaves that are very waxy and stiff.  These leaves are not damaged by hot winds in the Australian summer and contrast well with the dark furrowed bark. Foliage is used extensively for floristry purposes. 
 
Red Box is often considered slow-growing, but if it is irrigated appropriately over the first 2 years and planted into a well-drained organic site, it can grow as quickly as 1200mm per year.  The wood is hard, strong and durable, and has been used for fencing, firewood and railway sleepers.
 
Eucalyptus polyanthemos is a frost hardy species tolerating temperatures to - 7°C in Australia and is drought tolerant once established.  It will take a range of well-drained soils and is at home in degraded stony and gravely soils but need to be positioned in full sun.  Young seedlings benefit from staking to produce a good straight-trunked tree.
 
100 premium quality seeds shipped on receipt of cleared funds.