Eucalyptus-friendly landscaping

[cencalgarden]

Hello,

I wonder if a more experienced gardner might be able to help me with a problem. I've got two full grown Eucalyptus trees in my backyard, and I would like to landscape that area. I see that nothing is growing in the ground around the trees for at least 30 feet in every direction. I was wondering if there are any plants and ground covers that would grow directly under and around the trees. I read that hosta and heather would grow under pine trees, and I'm hoping they would also grow directly under the Euc trees. I'd also like to plant a span of grass, stopping about 10 feet from the Euc trees.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Newt]

Hi Cencalgarden,

Eucalyptus trees are alleopathic to many plants. From this site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allelopathic

Eucalyptus leaf litter and root exudates are allelopathic for certain soil microbes and plant species.

If you don't have grass now within 30' of your trees, you aren't going to be able to grow any. The roots of the trees and the leaf litter apparently extend that far. I have been searching for over an hour and can't find a list of plants that will tolerate growing with eucs. I do have lists of plants that will grow with black walnut, but that doesn't mean they will grow with eucs but you can try them.
http://tomclothier.hort.net/page43.html
http://www.efn.org/~bsharvy/bwtol.html

I read that hosta and heather would grow under pine trees

The pine trees make the soil more acid and it's a different situation.

Hope that helps,
Newt

[opabinia51]

You might try looking under google for Eucalyptus AND Companion Plants or just Eucalyptus Companion plants. And look for the same topic unduer pine.

[juliebelle]

I'm a new gardener but I found this information in the LA times California gardening book: The Eucalyptus is generally poisonous to most plants but some plants do well under them (most of them are from Australia): Victorian Box, California Toyon, Texas Privat, Australian Tea Tree, Various Rock Roses (Cistus), several types of Broom, Heavenly Bamboo, Rosemary, Australian bluebell and ALOES, GERANIUMS, PENSTEMON AND ANNUAL CLARKIA.

You should blow out or sweep up fallen leaves often to keep the eucaplyptus oils out of the soil.

I also have 2 beautiful eucalyptus--I don't know what kind they are but my grass grows fine under them. I thought, snice the shade is so lovely and dappled under these trees that a brick patio under the tress would be lovely. You could do that with container plants and pretty much avoid your already contaminated soil

Julia