On 1/9/11 6:49 PM, MiamiCuse wrote:
I really like this tree. Saw a specimen of it in the ground at a local
nursery, it was about 15' tall with a tree trunk about six inches in
diameter. They said it has been there since 1998. They planted it about
five feet from the wall of the store. They have some for sale right now.

http://eucalyptusdeglupta.com/trunk02a.jpg
http://eucalyptusdeglupta.com/trunk03.jpg
http://eucalyptusdeglupta.com/5tree.jpg

The problem is according to my search, in it's native habitat it grows to
250 feet with huge trunk. The local nusery said in here (miami, south
Florida) it will not grow to near that size, but they can't tell me anything
more. They planted one right next to their foundation wall and it has not
grown to be huge.

So my question is whether I should take a risk and plant one. On my
property I can plant one 25' or 30' from the house. I don't know if this is
enough distance, the guy at the nusery says no problem, but he was trying to
sell me a tree. Anyone has experience with this tree?

I have no experience with it. But it's listed in my Sunset's "Western
Garden Book".

Eucalyptus deglupta is also commonly known as Mindanao gum. It can grow
75-200 ft tall with a branch spread 30-75 ft wide. It is hardy to
24-26F. Sunset says it is fast-growing.

If you plant it, you can have a tree service prune it periodically.
Most eucalyptus grow sufficiently fast and vigorously that pruning scars
are quickly hidden. In fact, some eucalyptus can be cut down to a 3 ft
high stump and, within 4-5 years, will become a new tree with little
sign of having been cut other than remaining small.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary