Narrow crowned clone discovered in 1894 in New York with upright branching creating a shape similar to the Lombardy poplar. Clusters of small red flowers before the green leaves, bluey-white beneath, which turn bright red in Autumn. Prefers moist, rather acid soils, becomes chlorotic on lime rich soils.

Single stem initially, then branched with strap-like leaves, evergreen. Tolerates a wide range of sites, including coastal and swampy sites. Our selection is from a cold inland Canterbury site.

Symphyomyrtus, more prone to insect attack. Mountains of Victoria. Broadly conical when young, grows rapidly, cold hardy to -12C, best in regular rainfall at higher altitude. Unthrifty by age 20 at low altitude in warmer districts, but yields a lot of firewood. Low tolerance to drought. 700-1750mm rainfall, not for coastal sites, easily killed by fire. Grows to 1300m altitude, and in Westland on well drained soils. Timber non-durable used for flooring, furniture, saws well, needs careful drying. Sheds long strips of bark, coppicing less reliable. Recommend planting in early Spring after chance of frosts.

Narrowly conical when young, evergreen. White flowers in profusion from Dec. worked by bees. Tolerates exposed, wet and infertile sites. Useful nurse shrub for native revegetation projects.