Eucalyptus elata

Eucalyptus elata is a tree that will thrive wherever there is adequate space and adequate irrigation. It is found from central New South Wales, extending south into Victoria. Here in Victoria, it is most often found in Gippsland, but it can also be found in the north-east, along the Murray. Most often River Peppermint is found along waterways, but occasionally it grows in open woodlands and very infrequently on rocky sites.

E. elata is known for its narrow, bright green leaves with a peppermint smell; its narrow and upright habit but with drooping secondary branchlets and especially for its bark. The tree normally has rough bark about halfway up the trunk and then smooth grey bark on the rest of the trunk and branches. The lower bark often peels in long ribbons, giving a picturesque appearance. River Peppermint normally flowers in late spring, but the creamy white flowers will also appear sporadically throughout the year.

River Peppermint can be too large for narrow streetscapes, and it can require too much water for some of the dryer sites in Melbourne. Although it is not indigenous, it is a near-endemic that can give an elegant, “majestic” appearance to plantings.

Typical mature height:

most often about 20m

Useful in:

parks, reserves, broad avenues

Sites for best growth:

clay soils, available water