Comments on: Eucalyptus caesia “Silver Princess”

By: Rebel Gardener

Rebel Gardener — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:33:15 +0000

Hi Christine
It would be best to remove a few leaves with the grub and cobwebs, place them in a plastic bag and take them to your garden centre for a diagnosis and some advice.
Silver Pricesses are fairly drought tolerant and shouldn’t need any supplemental watering except for extremely dry and hot conditions, once established. It sounds like your plants may be getting too much water. Dig a small hole near the base of the plant. Is it boggy? Can the water drain away after rainfall or does it sit in around the base of the plant? Silver Princesses need to be planted where the water can drain away especially if you have a heavy, clayey soil.
I’m not sure exactly what you mean by being “left alone”. The are many misconceptions and generalisations about Aust Natives. Silver Princesses can be coppiced once established and most natives do respond very well pruning. You may want to read my articles about transplanting plants if the area your plants are planted is too wet.
http://www.gardeningnativeplants.com/how-not-to-transplant-your-plants/

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:58:54 +0000

Hi Thanks for your information about the silver princess, I found your article really interesting. I love these trees and I have planted 4 of them in my garden this year. Can I ask you for some advice please as a couple of them have problems. All of them have a grub or something I have yet to identify living in their young leaves. Whatever the bug is it leaves cobwebs over the new shoots which I manually remove when I can. I test-sprayed one of them once with pyrethum which doesn’t seem to have done much. Also I have found one of them has had its leaves at the base of the plant dry up and look sickly. I have a drip system in place which comes on once a fourtnight plus we have had decent rain where I am so I can’t imagine lack of water being the issue. Could you offer some advice seeing as you know a bit about the species?! I’m reluctant to try to ‘help’ natives because I know natives like to be left alone. I’m in Melbourne and know they should like the soil type here. If you can offer any advice much appreciated Thanks!