No one wants to cut down the conventional Eucalyptus trees in their compound.
In order to make the Eucalyptus trees shade useful, it leads to the question of what plants can successfully grow under these trees.
Eucalyptus trees serve multiple functions; they are used for medications and also to control erosion.
For medication, the plants are used to cure joint pains, reduce symptoms of coughs, colds, and congestion.
Eucalyptus trees are important for many medicinal purposes. They also provide shade to have quiet times. However, the trees absorb nutrients and water from soil and leave the soil empty of nutrients and water for other plants.
That is why most people find it difficult to know and choose the right plant that they can cultivate under Eucalyptus trees. Ideally, plants that have the capacity to withstand drought and thrive under moderate nutrients with partial photosynthesis active radiation can grow under Eucalyptus trees.
You don’t need to research further, here are 13 plants you can grow under Eucalyptus trees with their complete growth stages explained in detail.
The table below shows the 13 plants that grow under Eucalyptus tree shade.
| S/N | Name | Scientific Name | Drought Resistant | Sunlight | Shade | Water |
| 1. | Geraldton Wax Flower | Chamelaucium Uncinatum | Yes | Partial | Full | Moderate |
| 2. | Slender Tea-tree | Leptospermum Brevipes | Yes | Partial/Full | Partial/Full | Moderate |
| 3. | Banksia Spinulosa | Aemula | Yes | Full | Partial | Moderate |
| 4. | Heuchera | Merriamii | Yes | Partial | Full | Moderate |
| 5. | Acanthus Mollis | akanthos | Yes | Partial | Partial | Moderate |
| 6. | Salvia Leucophylla | Salvia Leucophylla | Yes | Partial | Full | Moderate |
| 7. | Myrica Californica | Myrica Californica | Yes | Full | Full | Moderate |
| 8. | Ribe Indecorus | Indecorum | Yes | Partial | Full | Moderate |
| 9. | Xylosma Senticosum | Senticosum | Yes | Full | Partial | Moderate |
| 10. | Lungwort | Pulmonaria | Yes | Full/partial | Full | Moderate |
| 11. | Bletilla Striata | Bletilla Striata | Yes | Partial | Full | Moderate |
| 12. | Belladonna | Amaryllis | Partial | Partial | Full | Moderate |
| 13. | Torenia | Fournieri | Partial | Partail | Full | Moderate |
1. Geraldton Wax Flower (Chamelaucium Uncinatum)
Geraldton Wax Flower is mediterranean plant that has the capacity to grow under Eucalyptus trees.
The plant is highly drought-resistant and thrives under moderate watering. It only requires irrigation to grow. Once the plant is established, you don’t need to water it any more.
Geraldton Wax Flower has growth capacity to share the water and nutrients unde the soil with Eucalyptus trees.
The Eucalyptus leaves that littered on the ground makes it cool for the plant to blossom during hot weather. Likewise, it makes the ground highly conducive for the plant to thrive during cold climates.
The plant needs partial sunlight for photosynthesis active radiation. Irrespective of the changes in the sunlight, the plant maintains the same amount of photosynthesis active radiation.
The plant grows under full or partial sunlight. However, full sunlight delays its growth system — and blossom under full shade created by Eucalyptus trees.
Geraldton Wax Flower is frost tolerant that you can cultivate under Eucalyptus without much maintenance.
You can grow the plant in both sandy and loam soil. It blossoms in well-drained sandy and loamy soil.
Most people grow Geraldton Wax in Australia because the flowers are used during weddings as a symbol of good fortune, happiness and long-lasting love. The wildflowers have the capacity to withstand tough weather conditions.
The flowers have purple, white and red roses with long lasting perfume that is attractive.
The plant produces flowers during Winter, Spring and Summer season. The Eucalyptus trees’ shade causes the plant to blossom in most weather conditions.
2. Slender Tea-tree (Leptospermum Brevipes)
Slender Tea- tree creates its own environment when planted under the Eucalyptus trees.
It creates shrubs that look like bushes, which make the ground conducive for it florish during hot weather conditions.
Slender Tea- tree is a hardy and fast growing shrub, which has the capacity to grow in most soil components.
The plant blossoms in tropical weather and thrives under cold weather climate conditions. The environment created by Eucalyptus trees doesn’t affect the growth rate of the plants.
When grown under Eucalyptus trees, maintain 80 cm planting spacing for adequate vent and sunlights.
The plants require little maintenance, irrespective of where you grow them. Pruning is the best way to keep the plants in a healthy state. Pruning out dead branches helps the plants to grow stronger and healthy.
The dead branches weigh stunted in the growth rate of the plants. So, you need to constantly prune the plants to maintain better shape.
The plants grow very well in an alkaline soil. However, they have the capacity to do well under poor soil. The plants are drought tolerant and withstand moderate frost.
The plants produce flowers during the Spring and Summer season. The flowers have profuse white and dark yellow at the center. The width of the flowers are 1.2 cm that shine both in the Spring and Summer season.
The leaves of Slender Tea-tree are grey green to 1 cm in length, 3m width, and 4m height both Summer and Spring times.
Some of the plants maintain a height of 7 metres when grown under the Eucalyptus trees.
The plants blossom under full/partial lights and thrive under partial sunlight. But during summer, the plants blossom because there is full/partial sunlights.
3. Banksia Spinulosa (RE) (aemula)
Banksia Spinulosa are originated from Western Australia. Hardly will they die if not they contracted disease. The plants are known to stay for 5 – 10 years before drying up.
Banksia Spinulosa do well under Eucalyptus trees because they need moderate water. They need more full sunlight than they need water.
Banksias are used to well-drained sandy soils or sandy loams and sunny positions.
Eucalyptus trees drain nutrients and water from soil and make the poor for most plants to grow. Such poor soil is best to grow Banksia Spinulosa.
Banksia spinulosa are found naturally florish on clay soils in the tropical region. But hardly will it survive under humid conditions.
Humid environment causes the plants’ roots to rot fungus. If you’re looking for plants to grow under Eucalyptus trees, then consider Banksia Spinulosa because of their nature to grow in a hot climate.
The height of Banksia Spinulosa is 5 m with 12 cm greyish yellow flowers tall. The leaves are usually stiff, dark green and dentated as well.
4. Heuchera (Coral bells)
Just as Eucalyptus does well in sandy soil of Alkaline pH of 7.0 to 8.0, likewise Heuchera plants. The plants need partial sunlight and a shade environment to blossom.
Heuchera grows beautiful flowers in hot environments — they don’t get affected by heat and drought stress that’s why they’re considered as ideal plants to grow under shade. The plants don’t grow in cold weather conditions.
The plants require little or no maintenance when cultivated under Eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees create shade, which helps the plants to blossom because they require partial sunlight to grow.
Heuchera originated from North America, Mexico. They require moderate watering at least twice in a month especially during sunny conditions. They help the plants to absorb nutrients and withstand the drought conditions.
The major nutrients of Heucheras plant is decomposed Eucalyptus leaves. The water helps to drive down decomposed leaves for Heuchera to absorb.
Heuchera plants have different types of colors:
- Silvery
- Burgundy
- Purple-black
- Chartreuse
- Salmon (Rusty orange)
Different species of Heuchera come with different colors of flowers. Likewise, different shapes of leaves.
5. Acanthus Mollis (bear’s breeches)
Acanthus are tall plants that grow under shade with partial sunlight. They are known for robust herbaceous perennials with beautiful two-lipped flowers of colorful bracts.
The plants become brighter as the environment becomes hottier. The shade makes the plants grow tall and large — tall racemes of white flowers with dusky purple bracts
Acanthus Mollis produce brighter flowers when they are cultivated in loam or sandy soil. Highly drought-resistant plants with glossy dark leaves.
One of the benefits of Acanthus Mollis is to treat dislocated joints and burns. A paste produced from the plants normalizes the affected muscles and ligaments when it applies to the dislocated joint.
The plants are cultivated to serve as medication and also for beautification. They’re eyes catching plants that increase the value of an area.
6. Salvia Leucophylla (NS)
Do you have crops around your Eucalyptus trees that require pollination? But the agents of pollination aren’t coming around the area then, consider cultivating Salvia leucophylla under the Eucalyptus trees.
Salvia leucophylla is known to be beans and butterflies friendly plants. They always pench around where the plants are planted.
Salvia leucophylla is a tough plant that can withstand any climatic conditions. The plant thrives under water but does well in a tropical region.
Salvia leucophylla grow very under shade and produce more leaves when the environment is hot but not hotter.
The plants are good looking yearly when cultivated under Eucalyptus trees. They do well in a well vent area — Eucalyptus trees provide the plants more vent to blossoms.
Salvia leucophylla produce brilliant purple flowers in large, tightly stacked whorls in mods spring to early summer.
The plants produce leaves with foliage, which have soft and succulent flowers — flowers that have long lasting perfume, which attracts butterflies, bees, and varieties of other birds.
The flowers are wrinkled inside gray-green leaves. During hot climates, the white hairs that cover the stem become more flourish and live.
Salvia leucophylla is 3 – 5 ft tall and 90 – 150 cm wide. The plants are tough and easy to maintain at all weather conditions.
The plant needs more ventilation than sunlight. They do well under shade than when they’re exposed to full sunlight.
7. Myrica Californica (Pacific wax myrtle)
Myrica californica is a hot resistant plant found in California and Oregon. It is an evergreen shrub that grows faster under Eucalyptus trees.
The plants are tough and vigorous with smooth gray bark of upright stems. The stems are densely covered with lustrous 4 inches long.
The branches grow to a height of 30 ft and 20 ft wide under shade with partial sunlight under Eucalyptus trees.
The leaves become brighter during hot climates. During spring, the leaves are green and darken as they mature.
Some species of Myrica californica have both male and female in the same plant. The unisex flower of the plant is tiny reddish, yellow, and catkins under late spring and summer.
Myrica californica plants perform best in partial sun and under Eucalyptus trees shade with a quick-draining soil.
Plant is highly drought tolerant in coastal plantings but looks good when it’s occasionally irrigated. Pacific Wax Myrtle grows in partial sun in coastal areas, and does best in the afternoon shade in inland areas. Foliage is happiest when rinsed off twice in a week during the dry season
The plants are allergic to cold and hardly tolerant to temperatures below 15° F. The plant is usually faced with or attacked by greenhouse thrips in costa planting and mites in inland gardens.
The pest can easily be controlled with flux of water during irrigation. Mix the water with horticultural soaps or oils.
The plant is not just tolerant to drought but also salty soil as well. When planted on salty sand it produces leaves with good aroma. The leaves are used to season food that is why the plants are sometimes referred to as California Bayberry.
This shiny, fragrant-leaved evergreen is cold tolerant to about 25 degrees Fahrenheit when planted under Eucalyptus trees.
8. Ribes Indecorum (White Flowering Currant)
Ribes Indecorum is a shade tolerant plant that doesn’t need full sunlight to blossom. This is a deciduous shrub plant of 6 – 10 ft talls.
The plant needs partial sunlight to thrive and produce white flowers, which usually littre the ground during summer.
The plant doesn’t need water once it attains maturity. Once the plant establishes its roots, you don’t need to water it any more.
Ribe indecorum produce fragrant flowers that attract birds and other agents of pollination to any where it is planted.
Highly drought tolerant plants that don’t need water as much as they need vent and hot climates. The hot climate helps the roots to spread and absorb nutrients from the ground.
Ribes indecorum is a native of south coast ranges. You can either repot this plant during nursely time or plant directly on the ground.
The plant can thrive and blossom in loam or sandy soil of pH range from 6.00 – 8.00.
9. Xylosma senticosa (S)
Xylosma senticosa is an elegant evergreen plant without prune. However, you can prune the plant to make it straight and grow tall.
The plant needs full sunlight and thrives under shade but survives under heat. During heat the plant grows to become a large shrub that is highly attractive.
Xylosma is adaptable to most soil. However, the plants need well-moist soil to grow tall and look more bright.
It has the capacity to withstand drought and any coastal conditions. The plant is tolerant to both heat and cold.
During cold weather, the plant drops leaves in very cold climates but re-shoot in during summer climates as well. The plant changes to any change in the weather conditions.
Pruning helps the plant to remain healthy and grow into better shape, hence the plant will grow into a dense shrub, which naturally has the habit of spreading and foliage that is held well to ground.
Pruning the plant also helps it to grow new flowers and colorful and beautiful foliage that’s highly attractive.
Xylosma senticosa is from Southeast Asia and Eastern Pacific with height of 2 – 4 m and width of 2 m. It has typical sizes of 200 mm, 300 mm, and 500 mm.
10. Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
Lungwort is a lovely plant that has the capacity to adapt and grow in any weather conditions. It blossoms under both full and partial sunlight.
It requires well-drained loam and sandy soil to remain healthy. The plant needs shade more than it needs sunlight.
It grows beautiful and brighter silvery foliage when it is planted under Eucalyptus because Eucalyptus provides enably environment for the plant to receive partial sunlight.
The flowers shine during summer and grow different colors like white, pink, and blue. However, during spring time, the plants grow flowers with only two colors especially pink and white on the same plants.
The leaves are typically long and narrow — it has silver and also changes as the climate changes to a splashed of sliver as well. They produce different colors of flowers and leaves as a result of the climatic changes.
When the plant is mature the height is between 12 — 18 ft. Lungwort planted under Eucalyptus get to 18 ft because of the partial shade.
Lungwort does well in both acidic, alkaline, and neutral soil. Hardly will the plant thrive under salty soil even though the soil is moist.
11. Bletilla Striata
Bletilla striata blossoms under shade, especially when planted in an open garden. heat tolerant plant with the strong capacity to thrive under cold weather conditions.
It’s easily affected by weeds but when planted under Eucalyptus trees, the Eucalyptus leaves serve as weed killer to the plant.
bletilla blossom in organic rich moist well-drained soil in under shade. Once the flowers start coming out, always make the soil moist. Moist soil will make the flowers grow brighter.
Under Eucalyptus trees, the plants grow clumps up to 12 – 18 inches high. Bletilla is a native of China, Japan, Tibet.
12. Belladonna (S) (Amaryllis)
Amaryllis belladonna need both full and partial sunlight to blossom. It is a multi-climates plant that adapts to any weather conditions.
A perennial plant with large clusters of up to 4 – 12 scented, trumpet-shaped, pink flowers of 4 inches wide.
The plant is partially tolerant to drought but grows under shade especially under Eucalyptus trees.
It needs moderate watering of twices in a week at the early stage. Once it establishes, the plant doesn’t need water to grow any more.
The plant is a native of South Africa and grows flowers during the heat period. However, the plant doesn’t grow in salty soil.
13. Torenia (Fournieri)
Torenia is commonly called Wishbone Flower with the scientific name of Fournieri. The plant needs full and partial shade to look blossom.
It is an annual flower that grows well in loam, partial moisture soil, and well-drained soil to blossom. The plant thrives during hot weather. It is quite difficult to grow in tropical regions.
When planted under Eucalyptus trees, the plant grows to 6 – 18 inches tall — the height most times, varies from species to another. It produces blue, purple, lavender, pink, rose, and white colors under full shade.
Torenia is a native of Asia. It does well in both Acidic and Alkaline soil of pH of 6 to 6.5. However, the plant needs more of Acidic soil than Alkaline soil.
Torenia doesn’t need much sunlight to blossom but thrives under full sunlight. During heat the plant finds it difficult to attain 18 inches tall when planted under Eucalyptus trees.
Conclusion
Eucalyptus trees produce conducive shade, which most plants blossom and gain a healthy state.
Most plants that grow under Eucalyptus trees derive nutrients from the rot leaves of Eucalyptus. That’s why the plants florish even though the soil has been drained of water and nutrients by Eucalyptus trees.
Cultivating any of these plants under Eucalyptus trees will grow healthy and blossom as well.