Eucalyptus coccifera

Eucalyptus coccifera, nicknamed the Tasmanian Snow Gum, stands out for its original stature, its highly decorative bark and its elegant and refined foliage. It is a tree with a variable habit, with low-growth specimens (5 to 6 m (16 ft 5 in to 19 ft 8 in)), spreading and branching on several trunks, and larger specimens (10 to 15m (32 ft 10 in to 49 ft 2 in)) which are slender on a single trunk. From this, different uses are derived according to the size of the garden and the desired architecture. The young, very colourful and aromatic foliage, is appreciated in floral composition. Native to the cold, mountainous regions of Tasmania, it is capable of resisting cold down to -12°C (10.4 °F), snow for several weeks, strong winds and sea spray. It dislikes dry conditions and its installation in the garden requires the choice of a suitable location, in moist and draining soil, in the sun.

Eucalyptus coccifera is an endemic species from Tasmania (Australia) where it is present on the high plateaus and alpine regions, notably from the Mount Field National Park, where Mount Field dominates at 1434m (4704 ft 8 in) altitude, and from the Mount Wellington region, southeast. On wind-swept alpine crests and heathlands, this dominant species grows almost exclusively above the forest limit, at altitudes between 700 and 1200 metres (2296 feet 7 inches and 3937 feet). It thrives on poor and draining soils, composed of dolerite (magmatic rock). In these mountainous regions, the climate is strongly influenced by the sea, which gives a cold atmosphere in winter (5 to 12°C (41 to 53.6 °F)) and mild to cool in summer (10 to 22°C (50 to 71.6 °F)), with precipitation of 1000 mm spread over all months of the year. Belonging to the Myrtaceae family, it is commonly called: Tasmanian Snow Gum or Mount Wellington Peppermint.

This eucalyptus can form a tree on a trunk with a rounded top 15 m (49 ft 2 in) high or a mallee of 5 to 6 m (16 ft 5 in to 19 ft 8 in) developing, branching into several beautiful branches with a twisted effect, forming a spreading and rounded shape. The term mallee determines the stature of a eucalyptus, formed by several stems starting from the soil, reaching a height less than 10 metres (32 feet 10 inches). With a rather slow growth, the Snow Gum, on one or several stems, starts from a stump called lignotuber* located just below the surface of the soil. When young, it displays rounded and warty branches, bearing juvenile foliage, composed of opposite, elliptical to cordate, blue-green leaves, 1.5 to 4.5 cm (0.6 to 1.8 in) long and 1 to 2.5 cm (0.4 to 1 in) wide. Then, as it develops, the leaves are alternate and take a lanceolate shape 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3.9 in) long and 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) wide, of a pretty shiny blue-green, on both sides. The leaves are very aromatic and release a menthol fragrance when crushed, rich in eucalyptol. With age, the bark becomes smooth, and marbled with bands of incredible shades of grey, cream, white, pink, brown or orange. The flowering mainly occurs in the summer period, but occasionally at other times. The inflorescence, arranged in the axil of the leaves, on a short peduncle, is composed of 3, 7 or 9 floral buds gathered in a tight bunch and blooms into small flowers with numerous cream-white anthers, forming a pompom, about 2 cm (0.8 in) in diameter. Rich in nectar, they are very attractive to bees and birds. After flowering, the fruits, called "gumnut", appear in the form of a woody, hemispherical or cup-shaped capsule which contains brown seeds 1.5 to 2 mm (0.1 to 0.1 in) long.

This eucalyptus has a *lignotuber, constituted by a swelling rich in starch that forms on the roots just below the surface of the soil. This organ allows it to start again from the stump in case of severe frost, fire or severe pruning. The plant also produces many shoots from dormant buds located under its bark, which allows it to respond well to pollarding, topping or more severe pruning.

The Tasmanian Snow Gum is an attractive and robust tree that finds a place planted as a standalone in a clear space to appreciate the beauty of its bark and the elegance of its stature. Supporting pruning well, it can be grown on a single trunk to form a slender tree or on multiple trunks to form a more spreading plant, but more contained, suitable for small gardens. With a hardiness of -10 to -12° (14 to 10.4 °F) C, it will prefer a temperate, coastal climate with dry to moist, well-draining soils, it dislikes periods of long droughts and soils that are too clayey or chalky. Comfortable in wet, but not swampy, soil, it has the capacity to dry them out. With a very developed root system, one must be vigilant about the choice of its location, keeping it away from the foundations of a house or pipelines.