Caring for your Eucalyptus Plant
The Eucalyptus is a fragrant plant native to Australia. Its most popular use today isΒ in the production of the Eucalyptus essential oil, where its leaves are steam-distilled to produce a fragrant oil for therapeutic purposes. There are over 500 species of Eucalyptus and their sizes vary greatly - some are not more than a shrub, while others grow to become towering trees.
TheΒ species most common to home gardeners like us are theΒ Globe Eucalyptus (E. globulus) and Cider Gum (E. gunnii).Β It's a beautiful indoor plant that will not require too much attention, as long as you provide it plenty of sunlight and keep its soil well-drained.
In this post we'll include tips to keep your Eucalyptus plant thriving!
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Sunlight
IdealΒ to haveΒ at least 6 hours of indirect sunlight a day. Best to placeΒ somewhereΒ by a large window.
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Watering
Water regularlyΒ but ensure that soil is well-drained. You can do this by checking the top one-third of the soil - when it's dry, it's time to water again!
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Fertiliser
Add liquid plant food (low nitrogen fertiliser) to the water for watering once a week for healthy growth.
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Repotting
Should be done every 6 - 12 months to ensure healthy root and plant growth. Upon removal from its old pot, roots should be gently massaged to loosen and rearrange. If your Eucalyptus plant bends sideways after repotting, you can support itΒ by gently tying it up againstΒ a stick or home-made scaffolding.
If you're not confident in doing this yourself, or want it in a fresh new fancy pot, you can engage a repotting service!
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Troubleshooting
Leaves turning yellow or discoloured: Likely to be a type of fungus, cut off any infected parts entirely and disinfect any equipment used.
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With proper care,Β your Eucalyptus should flourish easily. Think that this is the plant for you? Get it here.
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P.s. You can dry out EucalyptusΒ stalks by turning them upside down and allowing them to air dry. They'll make for nice maintenance-free room decor!