Lemon-scented gum

How to identify a lemon-scented gum

Lemon-scented gum has a straight trunk with smooth bark that may be white, pink, coppery or blue-grey, often with a fine powder you can rub off, and it peels in thin curling flakes in spring. The crown is open and made up of narrow leaves. Crush a leaf and you get a strong citronella-lemon smell, which is the quickest way to separate it from Brisbane's native spotted gum: that tree belongs to the same species, but its leaves have no lemon scent and its trunk is more clearly mottled. Young growth has broader, sandpapery leaves with wavy edges. Small white flowers in clusters of three give way to small urn-shaped gumnuts.

Growing a lemon-scented gum in Brisbane

Lemon-scented gum is popular in parks and large gardens and grows best on lighter, well-drained soils such as sandy loams. It needs space: allow for a 20 to 30 metre tree with a spreading crown, and keep it well away from houses, sheds and driveways because of its habit of dropping branches. On a small suburban block it soon outgrows the space. Brisbane's own spotted gum is the unscented southern form of the same species and is the local alternative for bushland settings.

What to watch out for

Branch drop is the big issue: lemon-scented gums are known for shedding large limbs, so do not plant one close to a house, shed or outdoor living area, and avoid camping or parking under a large specimen. Burke's Backyard recommends at least 15 metres from buildings. The tree also sheds bark in spring, leaving flakes on lawns and paths. It is not on Brisbane City Council's weed list, though it has naturalised in parts of Western Australia, Victoria and Sydney.

• Dropping limbs. It is known for dropping large branches, so place it well clear of houses, sheds and outdoor living areas.
• Size. It reaches 20 to 30 metres in cultivation, and Burke's Backyard suggests planting it at least 15 metres from houses and sheds.

Pruning and care

Lemon-scented gum needs little routine care once established. Prune to remove dead, damaged or badly placed branches, cutting just outside the branch collar rather than flush with the trunk. If you want the fragrant foliage within reach, regular pruning from a young age can hold it at shrub, hedge or small-standard size instead of letting it become a tall tree. Because large branches can drop, have a mature tree inspected by an arborist, especially one that overhangs a roof, driveway or play area.

• Tree pruning
• Tree removal
• Tree health assessment
• Storm damage cleanup