Corymbia (Eucalyptus) citriodora

Lemon-scented Gum is one of the most popular Australian trees grown in Melbourne. Originating from a very restricted area in Queensland on the Tropic of Capricorn, Lemon-scented Gum has grown very well on many Melbourne sites. This tree is typified by its tall, upright habit, long elegant foliage, and smooth grey bark. Further, the lemon-scented foliage and flowers are of great interest throughout the year.

C. citriodora seems to grow on most sites in Melbourne. It is tolerant of dry, sandy sites, seems to tolerate moist, high-clay-fraction locations, and grows rapidly both with and without water. Occasionally it may be troubled by lerp, but is not badly affected at any time. C. citriodora is intolerant of frost when young, and trees less than 1m tall can be badly affected in northern and highland areas.

There are no selections of C. citriodora currently available, although performance with this tree may vary; this results from interbreeding between C. citriodora and the closely related C. maculata (Spotted Gum). Frequently trees with strongly-spotted trunks may grow in a seedling tray of C. citriodora, showing the obvious hybridisation between these two species. To assure best growth and true-to-type plants, Metropolitan Tree Growers are using seed from the CSIRO orchard, located in Castle Hill NSW.

Typical mature height:

to 20m in Melbourne

Useful in:

avenues, parks

Sites for best growth:

most soil types, full sun