Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Cider Gum 'Azura'

Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura'

£27.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingEvergreenRHS award winnerLoved by pollinators
Pot size
15cm / 1.5L £27.99

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Description

Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' is a superb, more compact and cold-hardy selection of the much-loved cider gum, prized for its rounded, silver-blue evergreen foliage and a fresh, menthol-eucalyptus scent when the leaves are brushed or crushed. If you have admired the silvery cider gum tree but worried about its vigour or hardiness, this is the cultivar to reach for, bringing year-round colour and a touch of the exotic to UK gardens.

Why grow 'Azura'?

  • Intense silver-blue, aromatic evergreen leaves that hold their colour through winter
  • More compact and notably frost-hardy compared with the standard species eucalyptus
  • Fast-growing, drought-tolerant once established and brilliant for cutting and foliage arrangements
  • Holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit for reliable garden performance

This is a true all-rounder among hardy eucalyptus trees. The young, rounded juvenile leaves are the most ornamental, and a regular hard prune keeps that lovely foliage coming while controlling size. Grown as a free-standing specimen it makes a graceful small tree; coppiced or pruned each spring it stays as a neat silvery shrub, ideal for smaller plots and for gardeners who want the eucalyptus look without a forest-sized tree.

How and where to grow. Plant 'Azura' in full sun for the best foliage colour and sturdiest growth. It is happy on most free-draining soils, including chalk, loam and sand, across the pH range, but dislikes waterlogged ground, so improve drainage on heavy clay before planting. Rated RHS H5, it shrugs off typical UK winters once established; simply give young plants a sheltered spot away from harsh, drying winds for the first couple of seasons and mulch the base. Water regularly in the first year or two to settle the roots, after which it becomes pleasingly drought-tolerant. Expect a mature height of around 3-6 m if left to grow, easily kept to 1.5-3 m with annual spring pruning.

Whether you are searching for a standout eucalyptus tree in the UK or specifically hunting down Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura', every plant we send out is nursery-grown, carefully selected and dispatched in prime condition, ready to settle straight into your garden.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Cider Gum 'Azura'

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Cider Gum 'Azura'

Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' needs full sun and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H5): down to around −15°C. Hardy through a cold UK winter.

A hardy, evergreen eucalyptus rated RHS H5, so it withstands typical UK winters down to around -15C once established. 'Azura' is one of the more cold-tolerant cider gum selections; shelter young plants from cold, drying winds in their first couple of winters and keep the base mulched. Read moreShow less

A hardy, evergreen eucalyptus rated RHS H5, so it withstands typical UK winters down to around -15C once established. 'Azura' is one of the more cold-tolerant cider gum selections; shelter young plants from cold, drying winds in their first couple of winters and keep the base mulched.

Position

Full sunEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Plant in full sun for the strongest silver-blue foliage colour and sturdiest growth. A south, west or east-facing position with some shelter from the harshest winds is ideal. Read moreShow less

Plant in full sun for the strongest silver-blue foliage colour and sturdiest growth. A south, west or east-facing position with some shelter from the harshest winds is ideal.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Tolerant of most free-draining soils including chalk, loam and sand, across acid to alkaline pH. The one thing it dislikes is heavy, waterlogged ground, so improve drainage on wet clay before planting. Read moreShow less

Tolerant of most free-draining soils including chalk, loam and sand, across acid to alkaline pH. The one thing it dislikes is heavy, waterlogged ground, so improve drainage on wet clay before planting.

Watering

Water regularly through the first one to two growing seasons to settle the roots, then it is notably drought-tolerant once established. Avoid sitting in winter wet. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first one to two growing seasons to settle the roots, then it is notably drought-tolerant once established. Avoid sitting in winter wet.

Mature size

Height3-6 m (containable by pruning)
Spread2.5-4 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Columnar/upright

Flowering

Jul-Aug

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Scent

Aromatic, menthol-eucalyptus foliage when crushed

Pruning

For the best silvery juvenile leaves, coppice hard in early spring, cutting the stems back to two or three buds above the base.

Toxicity

Foliage and sap may cause mild stomach upset if eaten and can irritate skin and eyes; generally considered low toxicity to pets but best not ingested.

Native range

Tasmania (Australia)

Family

Myrtaceae

Also known as

Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura'

Genus

Eucalyptus
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' hardy in the UK?

Yes. It is a hardy evergreen rated RHS H5 and is one of the more cold-tolerant cider gum selections, coping with most UK winters down to roughly -15C once established. Give young plants some shelter from cold, drying winds for their first couple of winters.

How big does 'Azura' eucalyptus get?

Left unpruned it can reach 3-6 m or more over many years, but it responds very well to hard pruning. Cut back or coppice in spring to keep it as a compact shrub of 1.5-3 m, which also keeps the prized rounded juvenile foliage.

Does it keep its leaves in winter?

Yes, it is fully evergreen and holds its aromatic, silver-blue foliage all year round, giving structure and colour through the winter months.

Can I grow Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' in a pot?

It can be grown in a large container for a few years if kept well watered and fed, and regular pruning keeps it in scale. Long term it is happier in the open ground, where it is more drought-tolerant and stable in wind.

How do I prune it to keep the round silver leaves?

Prune or coppice hard in early to mid spring. Cutting it back forces fresh juvenile growth, which carries the rounded, intensely silver-blue leaves rather than the longer adult foliage, and keeps the plant bushy and compact.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura'
£27.99