Silver-dollar Gum is a fast-growing Australian evergreen that earns its common name from its distinctive rounded, powdery-gray juvenile leaves that spin gracefully in the wind after they dry and fall. Native to Australia and hardy in zones 8-10, this tree reaches 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide, displaying creamy white flowers in clusters from July through September. Its leaves carry a sweet, mild menthol-like fragrance that makes it as pleasant to brush past as it is striking to observe. Growing vigorously in full sun with moderate water and moderate maintenance, it tolerates both clay and dry soils, making it surprisingly adaptable for a plant with such dramatic presence.
Full Sun
Moderate
8-10
360in H x 240in W
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High
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The spinning juvenile leaves are the real draw here; these rounded, glaucous discs persist on young growth and create an ethereal, silvery effect before they dry and twirl on the breeze. The foliage smells distinctly sweet with a subtle menthol undertone that lingers on your hands after brushing against it. Once established, it shrugs off poor soil, drought, and heavy clay with equal indifference, asking only for full sun and good drainage. The creamy white flowers bloom over several months, adding another layer of seasonal interest to this extraordinarily low-maintenance tree.
Silver-dollar Gum is grown as an ornamental tree, prized for its striking juvenile foliage and architectural form. In temperate gardens where it survives winters, it serves as a specimen plant or backdrop in mixed borders. Its evergreen habit and moderate size make it useful for year-round structure, while the spinning leaves and sweet fragrance add sensory appeal.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Coppicing and pollarding are the recommended techniques for managing Silver-dollar Gum. Annual coppicing (cutting back hard to the base) not only controls the tree's size but also ensures robust production of the distinctive circular juvenile leaves, which are the main ornamental feature. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges.
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“Eucalyptus perriniana is native to Australia, where it evolved in the continent's challenging dry climates. Its common name 'spinning gum' reflects a distinctive ecological adaptation: the juvenile leaves, shaped like coins and coated in a waxy, powdery bloom, dry and spin around the stems in the wind, a behavior that likely aids in seed dispersal or reduces water loss. This species has been cultivated beyond Australia primarily for ornamental purposes, valued by gardeners seeking architectural foliage and minimal maintenance.”