If it's one of the types that grow large, don't plant it within 20 feet or more of anything. That includes your house, a walk, another tree, a pool, etc. The roots will bust concrete, it will drop leaves, seed pods, and probably bark, all over everything. If it's the kind with brittle branches, it will drop huge limbs on things which shouldn't have huge limbs dropped on them. What I'm saying is don't plant a large-growing euc on a city lot. If you live out somewhere that it can grow and litter, then fine, otherwise, re-home it and get a more suitable tree. We just paid $2800 to get one removed from our yard. Other problems aside, it was costing about $500 every couple of years to keep it trimmed.

Ditto, Judy's comments. Take the danged thing back to HD and get another tree! These are royal PITAs.

Take it back!

There are some small, non-messy species of eucalyptus, but nameless things from HD aren't them.

The big, gigantic Eucs that you see around older parts of Phoenix are actually really hard to even find at nurseries nowdays and I would be very, very suprised if they would have them at home depot. Unless you go to the nurseries that have extensive Euc. selection such as Bakers or that guy out in Tonopah it hard to find many Euc. species offered. The two varieties you see 99% of the time at home depot are the Coolibah and Silver Dollar-both excellent trees for our area. Neither grow to be monster trees that require lots of prunning. With the round leaves described I almost positive the tree you have is the Silver Dollar (Eucalyptus polyemthamos sp?). The leaves are about the size of a silver dollar and may have reddish stems. This grows to be a moderate sized tree that is extremely drought resistant, doesn't have problems with wind damage and has a lovely natural shape. Keep the tree and enjoy it. There are lots of Eucs that do very well here in the low desert but unfortunatly most people associate the word Eucalyptus with the giant, messy trees you see in older parts of town destroying sidewalks and dropping branches everywhere. Many varieties are being tested with lots of success. Keep in mind that much of Australia-where Eucs are native too-is covered in desert that is as harsh or sometimes hotter and drier than what we have here in AZ and Eucs thrive.

We had an E. polyanthemos that we had removed. It was a limb dropper. When the latest limb just missed our car, we decided not to keep pushing our luck. It also had had the top blown out at one time. We also have a Coolibah and it is huge and exceedingly messy. Neither one of these trees is a good city tree, in my opinion based on my experience with them. The coolibah is not as brittle as some others but is a messy, messy, messy tree.

Thanks for all the answers!!

Yes AZAmigo, it looks like a polyanthemos. The tree itself (trunk and larger branches) is green right now. I took some pictures over the weekend that I'll post tonight, just to make sure.

If it is a PITA tree, I'll return it, but I'll start reading up on the polyanthemos now. Thank you!

Here're the pics.. I'm pretty sure it is a Silver Dollar Gum (but please correct me if I'm wrong) ..Now I just need to figure out if I want to keep it. Thanks!!

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If you've got lots of room, keep it, they're pretty trees. If you don't have room for a limb to fall and not hit something important (and they don't always fall straight down, if they hit right they can pivot and fall even farther out), get rid of it and get a less brittle tree. I looked up info on the net and none said that E. polanthemos was brittle, but it IS. No storm necessary - limbs just get too heavy and drop. It can be very dangerous. They grow fast so can get to the limb-dropping stage before you realize it. There's better urban trees than this one, try another. :-)

Yeah, nothing I saw specifically said brittle or limb-dropping, either, but I don't really have room to take the chance. :( Guess I'm returning it.

That's what I get for not researching it *before* the purchase, I guess.. hehe.

Thanks so much!

Yup! DITCH IT!

Hi:
I planted a Silver Dollar Eucalyptus on 7-5-86 after finding it lying by the side of a road. (About 3' tall.) It is now over 30' high and shades the house during our hot summers. Recently I have noticed some small branches without leaves and a few branches with curled up leaves that look like they need ironing. I would really hate to lose this tree. Would anyone out there know if I have a problem? I'm used to branches breaking off and the scattered bark. There are no roots showing and no concrete to crack. Thanking you in advance,
Ric...

Does anyone have a mature Silver Dollar Eucalyptus tree that has very small branches growing out of it's trunk? Should I let them grow? Their about 18" from the ground, one on each side of the tree. The tree is about 40' high. Will they root in a glass of water? :-)

Norwood1081:
I believe the small branches you are describing are called feeders. You definitely want to cut them. If i recall correctly feeders compromise the strength and form of the tree. I have 2 of these trees they are beautiful but they are messy and require a lot of pruning each season.

Hello,

My husband and I bought a Silver Dollar Eucalyptus tree and planted it in our yard last July. It started growing immediately, and had been flourishing up until the past month. It probably grew about 2-3 feet from the time we planted it last year, but it has started losing its original leaves. It's still sprouting and growing the new spring leaves at the top, but it has lost almost all of the bottom leaves.

Is this normal? I'm afraid that we're doing something wrong, and I really don't want to lose this tree...it's absolutely beautiful.

Any advice? Thanks in advance!

Anyone know whether cider gum eucalyptus will grow here and whether it has brittle branches?

Wait u planted eucalyptus in 86 and its only 30' tall now?? that's only a foot a year, not very fast, did u water it??