Its just as Pretty Margaret, I personally think all flowering Gum have beautiful flowers. Mine only have tiny white flowers but they still look good in the Spring when they burst into flower. Cheers..MM.

Hi folks, I must admit that I get a lot of comments about my flowering gums as they are in our driveway and can be seen as people turn into our street. The rosellas and honeyeaters go crazy over them. Wish I could capture a photo of them whilst they are at it. Once it rains though the "fluffy blooms" will not be so nice to look at. Boy is it hot here today.... about 40 degrees.. phew !!!!! Enjoy your gardens.... Cheers, Margaret.

You might get away with teasing a few roots from the bundle but natives as a rule do not like their roots disturbed. How was the root ball when you removed it from the pot? I must admit, I'm guilty of upending pots at the nursery before purchasing and putting them back on the bench if the roots are massed and balled. I once had a 'Summer Red' Euc. which flowered, and also grew, erractically and so I dispensed with it: growth wise it didn't seem to know what to do. Last year I bought by mail order an orange flowering one, and while it too seems to loose it's way a bit, I have managed to prune it to a nice shape. Hasn't flowered yet. You might check your soil, maybe it could use a little iron, try iron chelates, available any where plants are sold. Also remember we've had plenty of rain this summer and if your soil is not well drained that could be the problem. If it is well drained try a little fertiliser-for-natives. It's not absolutely necessary to cut the seed heads or dead flowers away, that's only done to promote more flowers and growth.

g'day roy, there are around 3 leaf eating bugs for gum trees they all look similar to each other but surprisingly have different scientific names (don't have them to hand) they look a bit like an oversize lady bird, our method of treatment as to do an early morn' collectin and drop them into a bottle with some kero' in it same treatment for their larva when you find it. these bugs can all but denude a tree of foliage but for the main the tree will revive over winter, i think the best control method is to attract the noisy miners into you garden they will take care of the larva and hence the beetle, the honey eaters will also help. search for eucalyptus leaf eaters. this may help len Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page