‘Funky Monkey’ Cold Hardy Eucalyptus Tree

Eucalyptus parvula ‘Funky Monkey’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-11

Plant Type: Evergreen Tree (May be semi-deciduous in colder climates)

Height at Maturity: 25-35′

Width at Maturity: 20’+

Spacing: 15′ for solid hedge

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Twisted branching

Growth Rate: Fast

Flower Color: White

Flowering Period: Summer

Foliage Color: Dark Grey-Green

Fragrant Foliage: Yes, strong typical Eucalyptus aroma

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Light Shade

Water Needs: Average to Low

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Dry

Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.5 (Moderate to Slightly Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low when left in it’s natural form

Attracts: Visual Attention, Bees

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Heat, Insect, Drought

Description

Monkeys would have a blast swinging from the branches that twist and turn on the ‘Funky Monkey’ Eucalyptus. The branch structure of older trees takes on an exotic looking growth habit with strikingly beautiful peeling bark. The trunks are smooth grey, green and brown with peeling bark that reveals pink patches of underbark. The small, rounded, grey-green juvenile leaves change over to a narrow, elongated, pendulous leaves as they mature, lining the semi-weeping branches. This is a great one for cutting and use in foliage or flower arrangements.

Cold Hardiness

What we learned in Southern Euc Trials In McDonough, GA (zone 8A): 15 year old Eucalyptus trees had minimal leaf damage and looked great following winters where temps twice reached 6 degrees F. In Westerville, NC, where temperatures reached -10, this one is thriving as large shrubs and small, full trees.

Landscape Uses

Growing up to 30 feet tall and 20 feet or more wide, Funky Monkey is a fast growing larger Eucalyptus tree ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings, or as a tall privacy screen in landscape borders. Its interesting bark, and fragrant foliage makes it a great choice in a large container on a deck, porch, or patio. A fine addition to cut flower gardens, fragrance gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 15 feet apart for privacy screen; 30 feet or more for space between trees

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6b, where this Eucalyptus tree variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

‘Funky Monkey’ Eucalyptus is very adaptable and easy to establish and will constantly reward you with its fragrance, foliage, bark. It thrives it moist or dry soils and will tolerate alkaline conditions. It prefers full sun but will tolerate some light shade. It responds well to pruning if you want to control its size. If you leave it to grow naturally it will mature at up to 30 feet in height. A new addition to the Southern Eucs Series, like the others, ‘Funky Monkey’ is quite cold hardy, thriving as far north in the United States as USDA Hardiness Zone 7a. Find Your Zone

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, fertilize and water a Eucalyptus tree.

How To Plant & Care For A Eucalyptus Tree

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