Growing a eucalyptus plant inside is achievable, provided you commit to meeting its specific environmental conditions and ongoing maintenance needs. While many species grow into towering trees in their native Australian environment, certain cultivars can be successfully cultivated in containers indoors. Success depends on managing its vigorous growth habit and meeting its daily demand for sunlight and moisture. When these requirements are consistently met, the plant rewards the grower with attractive, aromatic, silvery-blue foliage.
Suitable Varieties for Indoor Cultivation
Selecting the correct species is the most important step for successful indoor eucalyptus cultivation. Standard eucalyptus species grow rapidly and quickly outgrow indoor spaces, making them impractical for long-term container life. Focus instead on naturally dwarf or shrub-like cultivars that have a slower growth rate and a smaller mature size.
One popular choice is Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silver Drop,’ a cultivar of the Cider Gum often sold specifically for container culture. This compact variety maintains a size between two and three feet in height when potted and pruned regularly. Another viable option is the Silver Dollar Tree, Eucalyptus cinerea, known for its round, silvery-blue leaves, which also responds well to regular pruning. Lemon-scented gum, Eucalyptus citriodora, remains much smaller in a container and offers a pleasant citrus fragrance.
Meeting Critical Environmental Needs
The greatest challenge in growing eucalyptus indoors is providing sufficient light, as these plants thrive in full sun. For optimal health and to prevent weak growth, an indoor eucalyptus needs at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. The best placement is a south-facing window that receives the longest duration of intense light.
If natural light is scarce, supplemental high-intensity grow lights must be used to ensure the plant receives energy for photosynthesis. The watering routine requires careful balance: well-draining soil should be kept consistently moist but never waterlogged to avoid root rot. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry slightly before watering again, as the plant is sensitive to both drought and excessive moisture.
Eucalyptus plants perform best when indoor temperatures are between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Since they are adapted to warm, dry climates, they do not require high humidity. Standard household humidity levels are acceptable, as overly humid conditions can sometimes lead to fungal issues.
Pruning and Maintaining Indoor Size
Maintaining a manageable indoor size requires proactive and consistent pruning to counteract the eucalyptus’s rapid growth. The most effective technique for keeping the plant bushy and compact is coppicing, which involves severely cutting the main stem or stems back close to the soil level. This hard pruning encourages the plant to produce multiple new shoots from the base, resulting in a dense, shrub-like form.
Regular pinching is also beneficial, involving the removal of the terminal bud at the tip of a stem to prevent vertical growth and stimulate lateral branching. Pruning should be performed in late winter or early spring, just before the active growing season, though light shaping can be done year-round. The plant should be grown in a large container filled with a well-draining soil mixture, such as standard potting mix amended with perlite or coarse sand.
Since the plant is a fast grower, it benefits from being repotted into a slightly larger container every year or two to refresh the soil and prevent root-bound issues. During the spring and summer growing season, feed the plant monthly with a balanced, all-purpose liquid fertilizer to support growth and recovery from pruning.