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Pruning guide · Tree
Cider gum: when and how to prune
Eucalyptus gunnii
Cider gum is best pruned in April.
| Pruning months | April |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in April |
| Flowering | July–August |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
Cider gum: when to prune it?
In April, when hard frosts are over. If you let it grow as a tree, pruning is hardly needed.
What else to prune in those months? April
Cider gum: how to prune it?
- For round juvenile leaves, coppice the shrub every spring to 30–50 cm above the ground. Only start once it has been in the ground for two or three years.
- Or pollard it: keep a trunk of 1–2 m and cut back all the branches at the top every spring.
- As a tree: remove only frost-damaged, dead and crossing branches and keep a single main stem.
- Only cut frost-damaged shoots back in May, to where it is reshooting.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: April.
- Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in April can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
- Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.
Common mistakes
- Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
- Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.
Caution: Do not prune in late summer or autumn: the new shoots will not ripen in time and will be killed by frost in winter. Cider gum is poisonous: wear gloves and keep clippings away from children, pets and livestock.
Nearby: related pruning guides
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.