Grafted Flowering Gums


Tarrawood Native Nursery's has been successfully grafting flowering gums for over 25 years.

These following flowering gums have been selected because they are outstanding plants for these reasons:

  1. The intense colour of their flowers

  2. The floriferous nature of the tree i.e the number of flowers carried each season

  3. The small size of the tree – its maximum height

  4. The neat and compact normal growth habit

  5. The toughness and drought resistance of the tree

  6. The health and vigour of the parent tree.

Corymbia ficifolia “Dwarf Orange” and “Dwarf Red” (previously Eucalyptus ficifolia)

Unlike other flowering gums that are sold as ‘dwarf’ these tiny variety of Western Australia’s C. ficifolia are a genuine dwarf tree with short internodal length and a maximum size of 3 m high x 2-3 m wide when fully grown. They are best planted where it gets full sun or near to it, and makes an ideal focus plant for a garden.  They like a well-drained situation. Garden beds can be built up if drainage is poor.

Because they are so small, they are slow growers and may take 8-10 or more years to reach their full size. As they are grafted, they flower profusely from their first year of growth. Dwarf Orange has a mass of almost fluorescent orange-coloured flowers, and is small enough to be suitable for tub planting or growing on patios.  “Dwarf Red” is smothered in massed trusses of deep fire engine red flowers.

If grown in a container on the ground, it is a good idea to make a series of 50 mm drainage holes in the bottom.  This allows the roots to penetrate the soil and so saves watering. This does not apply if grown in tubs on patios etc with hard surfaces. The flowering period is anywhere between December and April.

Corymbia ficifolia “Dwarf Orange” and “Dwarf Red’ are hardy plants tolerating extended dry periods and light frosts once established.

Other varieties include Corymbia ficifolia “Dwarf Red” and Eucalyptus ficifolia “Dwarf Red”

Photos of budding flowers of the Corymbia Ficifolia “Dwarf Orange” grafted plant by Tarrawood Native Nursery.
Corymbia ficifolia 'Dwarf Orange' grafted

Corymbia ficifolia “Wild Fires”

“Wild Fires” is a spectacular small tree that is a striking red form of Western Australia’s flowering gum. It flowers throughout summer and is smothered with trusses of intense red flowers with gold tipped stamens. This tree grows to about six meters when fully grown, so it is an excellent garden specimen rather than a tub specimen.  It likes a well-drained position.

An annual prune of the gum nuts will help to keep its profuse flowering habit. Once it is established this small tree requires no extra watering.

Corymbia ficifolia “Wildfires” is a hardy plant tolerating extended dry periods and light frost once established.

Corymbia “Summer Red” and “Summer Beauty” (pink)

Corymbia 'Summer Red' and ‘Summer Beauty’ are cultivars of corymbia, bred for a large mass of bright red flowers and pink. They are hybrids of C. ficifolia and C. ptychocarpa. They can grow to a height of five metres.  They are some of the most outstanding flowering trees in Australia. In summer, the canopy is covered in masses of flowers of brilliant pink-red and/or pink, followed by large woody gum nuts. These small to medium flowering gum have rough non-shedding bark and form rounded and dense crown, making them excellent shade trees.