How to prune a Eucalyptus?

The Eucalyptus, also known as Gum Tree, is instantly recognisable by its beautiful evergreen blue-green foliage with a camphor-like scent and its elegant silhouette. Native to Australia for most varieties, the Eucalyptus has inherited variable hardiness from its distant origins and is well-suited to our Atlantic or Mediterranean climates, particularly due to its drought resistance. Different Eucalyptus varieties grow quickly and require little maintenance, but they may need pruning to maintain a dense, attractive habit or to suit your garden's size. Discover our expert advice on when and how to prune a Eucalyptus properly!

Eucalyptus niphophila or Snow Gum, Eucalyptus woodwardii (Sydney Oats - Flickr) and Eucalyptus gunnii 'France Bleu Rengu'

The Best Time to Prune Eucalyptus

Nature has designed the Eucalyptus as a low-maintenance tree that typically requires no pruning. However, if you wish to control its height and spread, we recommend pruning preferably in spring, around March, or in September.

How to Prune Eucalyptus?

Coppicing

Eucalyptus tolerates pruning very well, including quite severe cutting to transform it into a coppice shoots, achieve a bushy, dense form, or encourage regrowth after cold weather; coppicing will promote branching rather than vertical growth, resulting in a denser tree. The shape and colour of Eucalyptus leaves change over time: young leaves are almost round and blue-grey with silvery highlights, while older leaves are elongated and grey-green. By regularly pruning your Eucalyptus, it will produce new stems with highly decorative blue-tinged foliage. This pruning also helps the tree develop a denser root system, which is somewhat shallow in Eucalyptus, improving its anchorage in the soil.

If you plan to coppice your Eucalyptus regularly, do so every 1 or 2 years to avoid causing significant wounds.

Using a sharp and disinfected lopper or pruning saw, cut the trunk and branches back to a few centimetres above ground level: new shoots will quickly emerge from the stump. Make clean cuts.

By the following spring, new shoots will have appeared on the stump; to form a balanced coppice, retain one, three, or five well-spaced shoots, selecting the most vigorous and best-positioned ones. Remove excess shoots using a lopper.
Allow your Eucalyptus to develop strong trunks in coppice form or prune it again the following year if you prefer to maintain a bushy, compact shape.

Thinning Pruning

If you wish to thin out the branches to improve air circulation (reducing the risk of breakage), clear the background, or highlight the bark of your Eucalyptus:

Using sharp and disinfected secateurs or a lopper, remove weak and spindly twigs from the centre of the branches.

Cut away any poorly positioned branches, those that cross or spoil the tree's silhouette, keeping the most attractive ones.
If desired, you can also prune the lower branches to raise the canopy slightly.

Maintenance Pruning

If your Eucalyptus has dead or broken branches, you can carry out maintenance pruning:

Use sharp and disinfected secateurs, a lopper, or a pruning saw to remove dead, diseased, or damaged wood, as well as poorly placed branches (those crossing, growing downward, or toward the centre of the canopy).

If needed, shorten lateral branches and crown branches slightly to encourage new shoot growth and densify your tree.

Tree Surgery

It may be necessary to carry out tree surgery on an overgrown Eucalyptus. If you need to work on a tall specimen, it's best to call a professional tree surgeon rather than risk an accident. Severe pruning is always traumatic for trees, and cutting large branches can weaken the tree and create entry points for pathogenous diseases.