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Garden plants are often also suitable for cultivation as indoor plants, including the eucalyptus. The Australian deciduous tree is ideal for bringing a little color into the home if a few care tips are followed.

In a nutshell

  • slow variety Eucalyptus gunnii best suited as a houseplant
  • choose a suitable location
  • too little sun leaves leaves out
  • without pruning, eucalyptus can reach a height of up to five meters
  • very undemanding tree outdoors, but needs a lot of care indoors

Fertilize sufficiently

First of all, it must be said that every container plant needs more fertilizer than is necessary in a garden bed. Because the fertilizer used in the pot is washed out more quickly with the irrigation water and does not reach the roots in sufficient quantities:

  • fertilize regularly
  • from spring to autumn
  • every two weeks
  • Universal fertilizer is sufficient for normal bucket soil
  • Give liquid fertilizer with irrigation water

Water regularly

The eucalyptus in the pot must be watered regularly. However, the plant does not tolerate waterlogging and therefore special attention should be paid to this when watering:

  • Create drainage in the pot
  • Use gravel, clay balls or shards
  • place over drain hole
  • Always keep root ball moist
  • Always allow the surface of the soil to dry out
  • only then water again
  • water less in winter
Always keep the roots slightly moist!

Cut right

Pruning is particularly important for eucalyptus as a cultivated houseplant. Because the tree can reach a height of up to five meters, which is usually too big for a house or apartment. Depending on how big the pot was chosen, the houseplant can also reach a considerable height if it is not cut back:

  • very cut compatible
  • Pruning can be done all year round
  • can be severely cut back
  • as far as space requires
  • grows back with new shoots
  • all laterally growing branches should be removed regularly
  • so the growth form is optically more beautiful
  • there is no baldness inside

Notice: When you cut the eucalyptus tree, you should never touch the roots or even cut into the root ball here, because the plant cannot tolerate it and could die.

Choose the best location

The eucalyptus tree has shimmering light blue leaves. In order to achieve this effect in a room, the right location is particularly important for the plant:

  • sunny and warm
  • cooler temperatures in winter
  • no bluing without sufficient light
  • too little sun favors the fading of the leaves
A bright window seat is particularly good for the leaf coloring of the eucalyptus.

Winter safely

The eucalyptus, which was cultivated as a houseplant, should also receive the appropriate care for the winter. If the heater emits a lot of heat throughout the winter, the tree is also too warm. So he should get the following place in winter:

  • in a relatively cool room
  • around 13° Celsius is recommended
  • bright location in winter
  • no direct sunlight

Tip: So that you can easily move the heavy pot with the tree back and forth, it is advisable to place it on a grid with castors before planting.

Repot with foresight

Due to the very large and rapid growth of the trees, they have to be repotted regularly. According to the care tips, the trees should not only receive fresh substrate, but also a larger bucket:

  • maybe even repot twice in the first few years
  • Eucalyptus grows faster in the first few years
  • thereafter at least annually
  • use fresh substrate
  • Always choose bucket one size larger
  • ideally repot after cutting
  • Tree not so big anymore
Young eucalyptus plants should be repotted several times a year.

Notice: Unfortunately it is not possible to propagate a eucalyptus that you have to discard due to its size. This will not succeed either with cuttings or with self-harvested seeds. Because a tree cultivated as a houseplant does not form flowers and therefore no seeds, despite all the care tips.

frequently asked Questions

Why is my eucalyptus cultivated as a houseplant growing tall all of a sudden?

If the Australian deciduous tree receives a lot of sunlight, this not only leads to the decorative blue coloring of the leaves. In a very sunny spot, the tree stretches towards the light and suddenly grows very quickly. In such a case, you have to cut back more often.

Which locations are suitable for winter?

If you have cultivated the eucalyptus as a houseplant, then you should move it from the living room to another place in winter. This is where the mostly unheated bedroom or a bright staircase come in handy. An unheated conservatory is also suitable, if one is available.

What should I do if the required size of the bucket no longer fits in the room?

Since the bucket has to grow regularly alongside the eucalyptus, it can happen that the pot and plant one day become too big for the apartment or house. It is good if you have a garden where the eucalyptus could then move. Otherwise you can only give the plant away or dispose of it in another way.

Can pests or diseases affect my eucalyptus tree?

Due to the essential oils, the leaves exude a scent that insects and pests do not like and therefore do not attack at all or only very rarely. Therefore, placing the plant near an open window is also good against mosquitoes, which do not get into the apartment. There are also no known diseases in the robust plant.

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Category:

Indoor plants