Eucalyptus rhodantha (Rose Mallee)

I first saw this lovely plant at the arboretum. Before that it was just a beautiful flower in a book. Eucalyptus rhodanthe is a drought hardy plant but it is not frost tolerant until it is established. The flower buds can be damaged by frost.

This is a western Australian mallee 2.5-4m high by 3-6m wide. It produces rose red flowers to 7.5cm across. The whole plant is coated in a grey white bloom which really accentuates the colour of the flowers.

It is a plant that requires full sun and a warm climate. The trees can be coppiced once mature and this new growth makes them more useful in a windbreak. This is a rare plant in Western Australia.