Nevertheless, variations are also attractive and are worth having. The Red-Flowering Gum is not detrimental to gardens, as it has a very deep root system and plants or lawn may be grown right up to it. It grows up to about 7 to 10 metres, but is not as fast growing as the ordinary gum tree. It does particularly well as the coast and does not like severe frosts. If one can protect it while young, it will grow to a large size even in cold-winter areas like Johannesberg.
Shades range from pink to deep red - and all are stunning.
This beautiful tree species has become one of the most widely planted ornamental eucalypts in the country yet its natural range is about one square kilometre in south-west, Western Australia. I know there has been a lot of research looking at tissue culturing the red forms as these are quite rightly the most popular. It is a very attractive evergreen that doesn't get too large and covers itself in the most gorgeous scarlet flowers. I was just in San Francisco a few days ago and noticed that they were planted there in median strips, right in the middle of the city. Some were in full bloom and they were quite spectacular.