Guide’s plant of the month – Eucalyptus caesia

If you have recently walked under the stunning ‘Symbiotica’ sculpture to enter the Botanic Garden, the silver princess, Eucalyptus caesia, will certainly have caught your eye. The stand of beautiful pendulous trees has been flowering since March. It came second in the Eucalypt of the Year 2024 Award and rightfully so. Its large pink to red flowers, urn-shaped wood fruits, reddish brown ‘minni-ritchi’ bark and blue-grey/mid-green leaves that make up its sparse crown, endears it to many Perth home gardeners. The tree lets sunlight filter through to the rest of the garden. The waxy white ‘gumnuts’ are also commonly used in Christmas decorations.

The tree grows to 3-10 metres high. Its flowers attract wattlebirds and other small honeyeaters which are its main pollinators. The silver princess is a hardy tree and is found in the Central Wheatbelt region of Western Australia where it is endangered.

The next time you join a free walking tour conducted by a Kings Park volunteer, ask the Guide to share more secrets about this fascinating tree. Since Autumn is a good season to grow your native garden, why not get a plant at the Friends of Kings park plant sale or a native nursery. It will give you years of delight.