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Friday, October 17, 2014

Eucalyptus pulchella - Narrow Leafed Peppermint Tree

The Narrow Leafed Peppermint Tree is a medium sized evergreen tree growing to about 40 feet, with beautiful bark weeping small branchlets and very thin fragrant foliage. Nice soft look, can't say I have seen lots of them around so I am thinking its not commonly planted here.



Leaves are evergreen, simple, alternate, linear to narrowly falcate, 3-4" long by 1/4" wide, dark green with a peppermint smell when crushed.



Flowers are in clusters of 9-15 and open into a round ball of white stamens. Blooms early summer.



Flower buds in round clusters along the stem making for a great floral display.





Fruit is a small capsule, 1/3" diameter opening in fall.



Bark sheds in long sheets, but often smooth, cream to light green or gray colored bark. Eventually persistent close to the base.





Used to be know as E. linearis.

Thanks to Matt Ritter (CalPolySLO) for identification.

Misidentification:
The foliage of E. nicolii looks close but the willow-leaf peppermint has thicker leaves and of course persistent bark.


Location:
Aptos
151 Seacliff Dr.