
Types of Evergreen Trees
In Australian landscaping, evergreen trees are always highly sought after. Evergreens offer abundant shade and sun protection, privacy, decades of natural enjoyment, and, most notably, 365 days a year of foliage. When considering different types of evergreen trees for a Melbourne landscaping project, it helps to know what options are available out there and which trees are a more common choice in Melbourne, Australia.
Here is a quick guide to the six most popular varieties of evergreens in Melbourne:
Citrus Varieties
One of the top choices for Australian gardens, especially in Melbourne, where the climate fluctuates dramatically, are evergreen citrus tree varieties. Year-round, they produce limes, lemons, oranges, mandarin, cumquat, grapefruits, and don lush green foliage. Visually, citrus varieties add colour, fragrance, and nourishment to the home and tick most boxes as the leading evergreen tree option in Melbourne and Australia-wide.
Characteristics:
- Require 2-3 meters of space to grow their root systems.
- Require pruning and maintenance.
- Produce citrus fruits when in season.
- Retain green foliage all year round.
- Dwarf varieties can be potted for space-poor properties.
- Offer delightful fragrance when in bloom.
Eucalyptus Varieties
Australian native eucalyptus evergreens are a top choice for Melbourne gardens as ornamental shade or shelter trees. The foliage shape and colour vary; with green/grey oval-shaped leaves in the ‘Red Box’ variety; narrow shiny green leaves in the ‘White Gum’ variety, and more than ten others, including ‘Silver Drop’, ‘Spider Gum’, ‘Brown Mallet’ among others. For Melbourne property owners, adding Eucalyptus trees can add value to their homes.
Characteristics:
- Withstand dry and frosty conditions.
- Grow best in full sun.
- Boast of attractive features all year round.
- Blossom during the warmer part of the year.
- Grow up to 15 meters at maturity.
- Spread up to five meters at maturity.
Olive Varieties
More property owners in Melbourne recognise evergreen olive tree varieties’ aesthetic beauty, versatility, and hardiness. It is easy to cultivate olive trees in Melbourne and enjoy watching them grow and produce, whether in a large backyard, small patio, or sprawling countryside. Whilst olive trees take time to establish and grow, they can become a favourite garden feature. It is worth considering olive evergreen trees for your upcoming landscape project to compliment the surrounding environment and add a Mediterranean flair.
Characteristics:
- Grow between 7- 15 meters.
- Produce olives and often tiny fragrant flowers – depending on the variety.
- In general, the shape or appearance is fan or lase-shaped.
- They feature silvery and deep green foliage for a stunning impression.
- Withstand most harsh weather conditions, including coastal winds, heavy rain, and harsh sun.
- They are known to produce an abundance of olive crops when they mature.
- Perform well in large pots, planters or in-ground.
- They are excellent shade providers in outdoor entertainment areas.
- Low maintenance
Lilly Pilly Trees
With dense leaves in different colour varieties offering attractive canopies, Lilly Pilly evergreens are one of the most popular choices as a natural screen option, hedge, or ornamental landscape feature tree. Widely available throughout Australia in approximately 60 varieties, most Lilly Pilly evergreens offer floral beauty, attracting natural wildlife for long-term environmental bliss every season.
Characteristics:
- Waterhousea is one of the top-selling hedging Lilly Pilly varieties, also known as the ‘Weeping Lilly Pilly’.
- Some very tough varieties include ‘Sublime’, which can withstand harsh climates.
- Dwarf and compact varieties are available, including Syzygium Hinterland Gold.
- There is a Lilly Pilly to suit almost every function and placement with heights of 1.5 – 12 meters.
- Spread can be from 1.5 – 5 meters at maturity.
- They are known for their fast-growing ability and eye-catching beauty.
Blueberry Ash
Also known as Elaeocarpus R. Primadonna, Melbourne’s Blueberry Ash evergreen tree variety offers high tolerance to the Melbourne climate and is versatile as a shrub, hedge, and informal screening option. Known for its deep green foliage, which turns red with age, ornamental pink flowering and dark blue berries, this native Australian evergreen will enhance any landscaping project.
Characteristics:
- Oval in form.
- Grows to approximately nine meters high when mature.
- It spreads approximately four meters.
- Ideal for shade or screening
- Hardy in coastal regions, wind and shade, and is sun tolerant.
- It blossoms in spring through to summer with pretty pink flowers and blueberries.
- Low maintenance, drought, and frost tolerant once established.
Willow Evergreens
Graceful and gorgeous in tone, there are several varieties of native Willow trees Agonis Flexuosa, which feature in many homes throughout Melbourne and Australia-wide. These trees are not overbearing. They grow to heights of approximately 4-9 meters and are well suited to conditions where a weeping tree, such as maple or cherry, may not thrive. Pendulous in shape and suitable for coastal climates with more sunlight than other evergreens, a Peppermint Willow, Willow Myrtle or Burgundy Willow Myrtle will add aesthetic beauty, shade, and year-round inspiration to any Australian garden.
- Some Willows flower in spring.
- Weeping shape feature for a graceful appearance
- Aromatic leaves when crushed.
- Smaller varieties are grown up to five meters, and others as tall as nine meters.
- These trees are a good choice for group planting.
- Willows prefer more sunlight than other evergreen varieties.
- Hardy trees that can tolerate a wide range of soil types.
The best steps before buying different types of evergreen trees for your Melbourne Landscaping Project
Evergreen trees are a long-term investment. When designing the ultimate Melbourne Garden or landscaping project for your Melbourne client, optimising the tree investment by speaking to the experts in evergreen trees at Kilby Park Tree Farm about your landscaping objectives is essential. The tree specialists at Kilby Park Tree Farm will help map out a well-suited supply of evergreens to impress your clients. As a wholesale evergreen tree supplier in Melbourne, the Kilby Park Tree Farm team offers the best prices possible and deals directly with landscaping professionals. Get in touch today for a quick quote, tree availability information and recommendations for your upcoming project.