Eucryphia lucida
leatherwood
A columnar, evergreen large shrub or small tree up to 8m high, with oblong leaves up to 5cm long which are dark green above and glaucous below, and fragrant, hanging white flowers, up to 5cm across, around midsummer; the flowers are visited by bees for nectar and pollen
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
20–50 yearsUltimate spread
2.5–4 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green Blue | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | White | Green Blue | ||
| Autumn | Green Blue | |||
| Winter | Green Blue |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H4Botanical details
- Family
- Cunoniaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Eucryphia can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs or trees, with simple or pinnate leaves and solitary bowl-shaped white flowers in the leaf axils in summer or autumn
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Australia (Tasmania)
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in a position sheltered from cold, drying winds and in full sun, but with the roots in shade in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil which is neutral or acidic
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown as soon as ripe in late winter in containers in a cold frame, or by semi-ripe cuttings in summer, and overwinter young plants in a cool greenhouse
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Coastal
- Low Maintenance
- Hedging and screens
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pruning group 1 (little or no pruning of trees and shrubs) or pruning group 8 (early-flowering evergreen shrubs)
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.