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When we talk about the eucalyptus plant, we get an image of the tall, slender plant that usually rises above 60 to 80 feet.
If you ask most people, can they grow eucalyptus plants indoors? The most common answer will be a broad curiosity in their eyes. There are smaller varieties of eucalyptus that can be planted indoors.
Let’s explore further if you should plant eucalyptus indoor and which type you should plant.
What Does Eucalyptus Look Like?
Eucalyptus is a large tall tree that is native to Australia. It’s part of the Myrtaceae family, but some of its variety comes in small size. It has a very shiny blue-gray color bark foliage. When you peel off the bar underneath it, you see yellow color patches.
If you cut the outer foliage of eucalyptus, it produces the resin, which oozes through the tree. Many people also call it a gum tree.
Eucalyptus is the most planted tree on the planet due to its ability to fast grow in any harsh weather conditions. It has over 800 different species and has a wide variety of use.
Can You Grow The Eucalyptus Plant Indoor?
Eucalyptus Gunnii, also known as Cider gum, is the most popular eucalyptus tree found everywhere in the world. It grows up to 60 to 80 feet tall, and this makes people think that this is an outdoor tree and can’t be planted indoor.
The dwarf species of eucalyptus can be grown indoors and in the garden. The most famous dwarf species of eucalyptus is “Eucalyptus Archeri,” which is a very bushy houseplant, and you can prune it to give it a shrub shape. You can plant Eucalyptus Archeri indoors as you get the clean trunk and big leafy head shrub on the top.
The Eucalyptus Archeri grows indoors from three meters to seven meters long. Another famous Eucalyptus tree that you can plant indoors is Eucalyptus Gregsoniana. It gets whitish shiny bark and grows a fantastic white color flower.
If you have a small living space and don’t have a high ceiling, then you can plant Eucalyptus Pulverulenta, which is also known as Baby Blue. It’s straightforward to grow indoors in a pot. When you’re planning to plant bonsai eucalyptus indoor, make sure that you choose the right species type.
The silver dollar tree houseplant has round juvenile leaves that look quite attractive. As the leaves mature, it turns into longer blades. If you like to have more rounded leaves, then you can prune the mature leaves that encourage the growth of new leaves.
What Are The Benefits Of Planting Eucalyptus Indoor?
Eucalyptus has lots of health benefits and has a very distinctive smell. The eucalyptus essential oil is used, which has a very aromatic soothing fragrance and relieves stress. Many people use eucalyptus essential oils to get relief from cough, cold, or use it as an insect repellent.
In some countries, the dried eucalyptus leaves are used in herbal tea. You can also rinse and gargle the throat with leaves boiled in hot water.
Want to get relief from long day work? Throw in a couple of drops of eucalyptus essential oil and the fresh leaves in the bathtub, and you get the refreshing shower.
Besides all those benefits of eucalyptus, it’s also an excellent natural air filter. The Eucalyptus leaves are filled with tannins, which help improve the body’s airflow and make breathing easier. Planting eucalyptus indoor keeps mosquitoes and insects away.
You can also rub eucalyptus and use it topically to get relief from insect bites and cuts.
How To Grow Eucalyptus From Seed
You can grow eucalyptus from seed and then plant it indoors. Get the seed from your local garden shop or order it online from reputable retailers. Eucalyptus seeds are tiny and fill in the eucalyptus seed balls.
Make sure you’re using healthy and plantable eucalyptus seeds. Depending on the variety of eucalyptus, you’re planning to grow, the seed will vary in color from light brown to dark brownish color.
These seeds are tiny and not longer than the regular mustard seed size. To grow eucalyptus from seed. Prepare the sowing pot and fill it with potting soil and sprinkle a pinch of eucalyptus seed on it. Then cover the seed with a smaller amount of potting soil. Don’t bury it too deep in the ground.
Keep seeds moisturized by wrapping them in a plastic cover. Eucalyptus likes water, and the right moisture level is essential for the seed to germinate properly.
You will start seeing thin seedlings around a month, and in 6 months, they will grow into a 15 to 20-inch small tree. The growing eucalyptus stems are fragile, handle them with care, so it doesn’t accidentally break.
Eucalyptus Plant Indoor Rooting Stem
Eucalyptus can be quickly grown through seed, and you can also clone it from the existing tree by doing a rooting cutting. For rooting to be successful, the tree should be between two months to a year old.
To get started, pick a tree that is grown in the current season as the older trees may not grow roots when doing the propagation. Cut the stem, which is at least five to six inches long, and have a couple of leaves on it.
Make sure the cut is clean, so it doesn’t get infected after planting. Use a pruning shear that usually provides a cleaner cut. Make the cut slightly below the leaf node to have some room to attach. Keep the cut moist by dropping the cut in a bucket filled with water.
You can also wrap the stems in a damp cloth or moist paper towel to keep them wet. Using a sharp knife, remove the leaves from the bottom of the stem. Apply the rooting hormone such as perlite into the stem and put slow-release fertilizer in the soil mixture. Mix it all together, so there are no dry spots left before putting it in the pot.
Remove any fungus or infections from the stem by dipping the cutting into fungicide and letting the eucalyptus steam dry for a few minutes. Fill the planting flat with a rooting mixture with an equal amount of potting soil and sand. Use water to dampen the mix and then insert half of each stem cutting into the rooting mix.
Use a plastic bag to wrap the cutting area with the soil mixture and place it in a well-lit warm sunlight area. Sprinkle water regularly on the mix to keep it moist but not wet. In four to six weeks, the cutting should start forming the roots. Once the root has formed, you can remove the plastic bag.
In about five to six weeks, the plant gets ready to be planted in the indoor pot or even outside in the garden.
What Is A Silver Dollar Eucalyptus Indoor Plant?
Silver dollar eucalyptus is an excellent indoor houseplant as it provides attractive indoor greenery. The eucalyptus leaves have a very high smell. You can dry it and put it in the bowl, and it will refresh the home with a fragrance.
The leaves of silver dollar eucalyptus are green with a light dusty silvery appearance that looks like silver. These leaves contain an essential oil that is highly aromatic and releases fragrance even when dried off.
Silver dollar eucalyptus won’t grow very big and is perfect for indoor houseplants. You should prune using a pruning shear while growing to make it healthy and have more leaves and stems. You can use trimmed stems and branches to create various types of floral arrangements.
Eucalyptus sprouts quickly where it’s pruned. Don’t leave it outside if the temperature gets too low as it doesn’t like too much cold. You can place pruned silver dollar eucalyptus stem with other flowers to make a designer flower bouquet.
Eucalyptus Plant Indoor Side Effects
Eucalyptus has medicinal properties, and if consumed in excess, it can have some side effects. If you’re planting eucalyptus indoor, then it’s more likely you’re planting it for the greenery, and the delicate fragrance.
If you’re using the eucalyptus leaves and their bark for medicinal use, then make sure that you don’t use it in excess. Eucalyptus isn’t poisonous, but if you consume in excess, then it may cause nausea, diarrhea, or induce vomiting.
There is no side effect of planting eucalyptus indoor. If you have pets such as cats and dogs, they don’t usually chew the leave or bark of the plant. So it’s safe to plant eucalyptus indoor.
However, if you’re using eucalyptus essential oil that is more potent, then never ingest it in a more considerable amount. Rubbing eucalyptus leaves may cause occasional irritation. If you have children at home, then make sure they don’t accidentally chew on the leaves as it may cause diarrhea.
How Long Does Eucalyptus Last
If you’re pruning eucalyptus and placing it in the vase, then it can last from a few days to a few weeks. If you want the pruned stem to remain fresh and don’t get dried off quickly, then you can place it in the water vase and sprinkler some plant food in it.
This makes the stem and leaves on it remain fresh for a longer duration. Pruning stem from a eucalyptus tree that is young and green make it last longer than the older and woody eucalyptus tree.
Another step you can take to make eucalyptus last longer is by placing it in a cold and moist place. This means keeping it away from the window or door where it may get direct exposure to the sunlight. This causes the stem to lose moisture, and it starts to get dry quickly.
If you’re planning to preserve the eucalyptus stem, then apply the glycerin-based plant solution on the stem and leaves that keep it soft and pliant for several years.
The color and texture of leaves may change as time pass, but it will remain to look beautiful in any kind of floral arrangement.
Where Can You Buy Indoor Eucalyptus Plant?
Although eucalyptus is a trendy plant, not many people consider it to be an indoor plant. Many still think it’s those long 60 to 80 feet trees, which are usually planted alongside the roadways and in the forest.
To buy eucalyptus which you can place indoors, you can check out at your local garden center. Most times these garden centers order new plants in summer and have occasional eucalyptus trees which you can use to plant indoor.
But if you can’t find the indoor eucalyptus plant at a garden store, then you can also check home decoration shops that sometimes carry indoor plants. If you can’t find it locally, then there is always an option to order it online through various retailers.
As explained above, not all eucalyptus are the same. So be sure and know the full growth size and requirement of the plant before ordering. Eucalyptus, when planted outdoor, attracts bees and other insects, which helps with the other plants in the garden.
When buying a plant, check out the aromatic properties of the eucalyptus or the green look of the plant. You can buy the smaller size eucalyptus plants from Amazon that include free shipping for Prime members.
You can buy baby blue eucalyptus tree seeds from here or silver dollar eucalyptus plants from here.
Conclusion
Eucalyptus can be grown indoor and has lots of benefits due to its highly fragrant leaves and green properties. When growing indoors, you can put the eucalyptus tree inside a pot and it becomes a full-grown plant in a short time.
You can plant eucalyptus indoor either by using a seed or doing stem cutting. Regardless of which method you choose, you can grow eucalyptus from seed to a 10-foot-tall plant in just a season.
Growing eucalyptus indoor isn’t tricky and has lots of benefits. You should place eucalyptus in full sunlight to accelerate the growth, which makes it ideal for placing it on the patio or near windows.
Eucalyptus is a tropical plant and likes moisture and heat to grow fast. If you’re planting it in a colder area, then bring it inside during the frost or winter.
Eucalyptus plant needs a lot of water, so water it regularly from spring to fall and cut down half during winter. Keep in mind that eucalyptus planted indoor may not flower, but it still provides you with a pleasant aroma and lovely decorative leaves.
