It’s a welcoming site when you spot your eucalyptus tree plantings develop their adult leaves, although this does not occur in all species of the genus. It’s a milestone for me, a moment to relax as the nurturing (or maintenance) phase is over, and I can ‘rest on my laurels’ somewhat as the new leaf shape appears and hangs more vertically to reduce water loss. The mulching and watering during those dry periods has paid off!

The new leaves glisten in the sun as the tree makes in way skyward. Seeing my Eucalyptus rubida or Candlebark Gums into adulthood has been a rewarding process, and one thats adds to the diversity of the site’s landscape.