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Growing Fragrant Eucalyptus Indoors

Growing Fragrant Eucalyptus Indoors Featured Image

What do American gardeners have in common with the cute and cuddly Australian koala?  Both animals and humans appreciate the aromatic leaves of the eucalyptus or gum tree (Eucalyptus spp.).  Eucalyptus trees are primarily Australian natives, so Koalas have no trouble finding their tasty leaves that comprise their entire diet. But, Americans, especially those in cold winter climates, have to look farther afield to find eucalyptus leaves and branches for winter decorating, crafts, and herbal remedies. 

Some indoor gardeners shorten the trip by growing eucalyptus trees at home in containers. Since the trees are normally fast growers, pruning is a must, but that just means more aromatic material with no need for a trip to the craft store.

About Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus branches
Eucalyptus branches can be used fresh or dried.

A member of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), most eucalyptus species are from Australia, with a few others native to Malaysia and the Philippines.  Many lose their leaves during the cold or dry season, but some are evergreen. Depending on which source you consult, there are between 500 and 700 eucalyptus shrub and tree species.  The characteristic menthol- or camphor-like fragrance comes from many essential oils present in all parts of the plant. While koalas can digest the leaves, they are toxic to humans and other animals. Eucalyptus has long been used for decoration, woodworking, and medicines.

If you live in a warmer US zone it is nice to know that some eucalyptus trees sport silvery gray bark that peels or exfoliates.  The green, gray-green, or blue-green rounded leaves, most commonly used by crafters, are generally the juvenile shoots of the plants. Older leaves are elongated or sickle-shaped but retain the characteristic eucalyptus fragrance. While eucalyptus generally bears small, fragrant white flowers when grown in the ground, it is unusual for container-grown plants to bloom.

Eucalyptus for Indoor Growing

Child watering a potted eucalyptus plant

Nurseries, garden centers, and mail-order vendors carry a number of species that are suitable for container culture.  Among them are:

  • Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora (syn. Corymbia citriodora)): As the name suggests, this eucalyptus features leaves with an overlay of lemony or citrusy fragrance. Left to its own devices, lemon eucalyptus may reach 6 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide, but a containerized specimen can be kept much smaller.  The bark is smooth and gray, and the evergreen leaves are elongated. It is easily grown from seed and grows very quickly.
  • White-Leaved Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus albida, Zones 8-10): The young shoots of this shrubby, white-leaved eucalyptus are actually bright grayish blue, eventually growing longer and turning green. It is relatively slow-growing and easy to prune to shape. Outdoor specimens can reach 4 to 9 feet tall if left unpruned.
  • Cider Gum (Eucalyptus gunnii, Zones 9-11): Native to Tasmania cider gum has several compact varieties good for indoor growing. ‘Silver Drop’ is a compact variety (2 to 3 feet high and 1 to 1.5 feet wide) perfect for pots, with small, silvery leaves. It is also easily grown from seed. Steel Tower is another vigorous gunnii variety of similar dimensions.

Caring for Eucalyptus

Silvery Eucalyptus
Silvery Eucalyptus pots look just at home indoors in winter.

Some garden centers and big box stores carry young eucalyptus trees and shrubs, especially during the growing season. Alternately, you can start eucalyptus from cuttings, which will root readily in water, or from seed.  Start seeds, cuttings or young specimens in large pots, because the plants dislike being repotted. 

Sun: A full-sun exposure (at least six to eight hours per day) is necessary to keep eucalypts growing to their fullest. It helps to take containers outdoors in summer when the weather is warm. During the cold months, position eucalyptus in the sunniest available space, preferably near a south-facing window. Turn plants to keep them growing evenly if light is one-sided.

Fafard Ultra Container Mix with Extended Feed and RESiLIENCE pack

Soil and Fertilizer: Plant in large, fast-draining pots filled with well-drained soil, and fertilize regularly with all-purpose plant food. It helps to give them a leg up with an enriched potting mix, like Fafard Ultra Container Mix With Extended Feed. 

Water: Water regularly when the top few inches of soil feel dry.  Reduce watering significantly when you bring pots indoors during winter.

Pruning: To keep growth in check, promote fullness, and ensure an ongoing supply of young branches, the most important thing you can do is pinch off older growth and prune and shape the plant regularly. 

Drying Eucalyptus

Dried Eucalyptus wreath
Dried Eucalyptus makes long-lasting dried wreaths.

The most common way to preserve eucalyptus is by drying—hanging branches upside down in bunches, or spreading them on a screen placed in a cool, dry location. 

For applications like wreaths, where a more natural look is desirable, it is best to treat stems with glycerin to keep them more pliable and long-lasting. Cut fresh, 12-inch stems, and crush 2 inches at the base of the cuts. Place the branches in jars filled with two parts water to one part glycerin (heat water to 180°F, add glycerin, stir well, and let cool). Allow the branches to cure in the solution for two to six weeks. Refresh the solution as needed within this time.

Using Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus in a bedroom
A little dried Eucalyptus will add soothing fragrance to any room.

Eucalyptus oil should never be taken internally or rubbed directly on the skin, but many books and online resources supply directions for making infusions, ointments, and other aromatic remedies.  Insect pests don’t care for the scent of eucalyptus, especially lemon eucalyptus, so it makes a good repellent when tucked into sachets or included in potpourri.

Most of us will only experience koalas via nature shows or zoos, but we can channel their sunny Australian homeland by growing beautiful and fragrant eucalyptus indoors.

Mini Indoor Cactus and Succulent Gardens

Mini Indoor Cactus and Succulent Gardens Featured Image
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The beauty of succulent house plants is that they demand little attention. The beauty of little succulents is that they demand little space. When placed in an indoor terrarium or rock garden, they create quaint little easy-care landscapes to enjoy year-round.

Mini cacti and succulents are basically comprised of those that form rosettes, clumps, or gently spread/cascade. Just be sure that you know growth habits–final heights and widths–before creating your planting. Stay with small, slow-growers to avoid fast overgrowth. Some plants may be able to withstand close quarters, but overpacking your pots will eventually smother the least aggressive plants in the group.

Blue containers with a variety of succulents
Choose plants with varying shapes, habits, and colors, but be sure not to overstuff the pot.

When designing your potted succulent garden, include little plants with varying shapes, habits, and colors. Play them against colorful pots, add pebbles, rocks, or shells for interest, and you’re set. You can also use rocks to create varying topographies within the pot to add drama and interest.

Because the design process requires that you know your plant palette, here are a few plants to consider to get your project started.

Some Miniature Succulents

Aloes

Lace aloe in a pot
Lace aloe is small and delicate.

Some aloes are tiny, compared to the common Aloe vera and lack medicinally useful foliage. Aloes are known for their impressive red, coral, orange, or gold spikes of tubular flowers as well as their attractive clumps of foliage. Here are two good small ones that can be found at garden centers or online.

Lace aloe (Aloe aristata) is named for its dark rosettes of foliage decorated with lacy white edges and spots. It reaches just 3 to 5 inches high and 6 inches wide. If given good sunlight indoors, or brought outdoors in summer, it will produce stems of pendulous, coral-orange flowers in midsummer.

Little Gator Aloe™ (Aloe ‘Jimmy’) is a very tiny variety that reaches just 3 to 5 inches. It has silvery foliage with white markings. If provided good, consistent sunlight, it will produce a spike of Creamsicle-orange tubular flowers in summer.

Cacti

Thimble cacti
Thimble cactus creates a mound of thimble-sized balls that are just slightly prickly.

There are hundreds of very small cacti perfect for indoor potted landscapes. Types that are less prickly and/or bloom well inside are good choices.

One for all-round good looks is feather cactus (Mammillaria plumosa), which is tiny (to 4 inches), round, and covered with feathery white plumes that are finger-friendly (no spines). It is cuter than cute, reaches just 3 to 5 inches and produces yellowish-white flowers in spring. Over time, it will form a clumping mound.

Easter sea urchin cactus
The flowers of the Easter sea urchin cactus are huge compared to the little cactus.

Small urchin cacti (various Echinopsis spp.) are also good bloomers, and the little Easter lily sea urchin cactus (E. subdenudata ‘Dominos’) is spectacular when in bloom. The plant stays between 3 and 4 inches high and looks like a green, ribbed sea urchin with sparse tufts of white spines. In spring or summer, huge, white tubular flowers are produced that are very fragrant and bloom at night. (In the wild they attract bat and moth pollinators.) The flowers can reach between 6 and 8 inches long!

A good one that’s just lightly prickly and very textural is the thimble cactus (Mammillaria gracilis var. fragilis). It creates a 2- to 4-inch high mound of many thimble-sized balls with few spines. In late winter, expect a flush of tiny, pale-yellow flowers that are as cute as the plant itself.

Crassulas

Tom Thumb rosary vine
Tom Thumb rosary vine is a compact trailing crassula. (Photo by David Stang)

Lots of crassulas become quite large, like the common jade plant, but others are tiny and terrarium-worthy. Tom Thumb rosary vine (Crassula rupestris ssp. commutata ‘Tom Thumb’) is one. Its short chains of succulent leaves are bright green and edged in red. Expect it to reach between 6 to 8 inches long.

The impressive miniature spiral jade (Crassula ‘Estagnol’) is even smaller and more visually impressive. It has dense clusters of brilliant green leaves that spiral into beautiful patterns. The maximum height is just 3 to 5 inches. On occasion, it may produce small clusters of white flowers in the fall.

Haworthias

Star window plants
Star window plants have translucent regions on their succulent leaves.

These popular little succulents are largely native to southern Africa, and there are lots of different varieties available. Some look like tiny aloes while others look more like little, rounded hens-n-chicks with translucent leaf markings. Sizes vary, but many stay compact.

Zebra plant (H. fasciata) is one that looks a bit like an aloe. It has dark spiky leaves with knobby white stripes and reaches just 3 to 4 inches high and 4 to 6 inches wide. The variety ‘Super White’ has extra bright stripes. Zebra plant almost never blooms indoors, but if it does, it puts forth delicate stems of white spring flowers.

Star window plant (H. cuspidata) and cathedral window plant (H. planifolia) are both squat, fat-leaved, and have variable, translucent markings at their leaf tips. Both are slow-growing with rosettes that reach 3 to 5 inches. Their flowers are comparable to those of zebra plant and equally uncommon in indoor specimens.

Senecio

Mini blue chalk sticks
Mini blue chalk sticks are low-growing but will spread over time.

There are several very cute succulent senecios, but most of them are aggressive spreaders. The small and bright mini blue chalk sticks (Senecio serpens ‘Mini Blue’) does spread, but slowly. It has slender, upright, dusty blue stems that reach 3 to 5 inches. Be sure to give it some room to roam.

Purchasing Mini Succulents

Potted succulents
Be cautious. Small pots don’t always mean small plants.

Visit any purveyor of succulents to discover lots of other interesting finds, but get informed before you make a purchase. Succulents sold in tiny pots don’t necessarily stay tiny. Some can become very large specimens, so check the plant tag for size parameters, and if the tag doesn’t say, then ask a staff person or look the plant up on your phone.

Mini Succulent Garden Preparation and Care

Start with the right pot and growing mix. Large planting bowls or bonsai pots look most impressive. These may be ceramic, plastic, or fiberglass. Be sure that they have good drainage and a watertight saucer below to catch excess water and protect table surfaces.

Mini succulents in white pots
Pleasing decorative pots and pebbles will make indoor succulent gardens look really sharp.

When it comes to potting mix, it must drain very well but also have some organic matter. A good recipe for succulents contains three parts Fafard Professional Potting Mix to one part perlite. The addition of crushed granite (Gran-i-Grit) is also recommended to add extra weight and increase drainage.

It’s also smart to top the soil with fine, decorative gravel to keep the surface dry and attractive. Pebbles and gravel for terrariums, potted plants, or fairy gardens come in different sizes, textures, and colors. Those in light or neutral shades let plants stand out without overstatement. A bold shell, geode, or another natural decorative element may also lend the final piece appeal and distinction.

Outdoor potted succulents
Take your succulent gardens outdoors in summer, so they can soak up with summer sun.

Grow your plantings in bright or indirect sunlight. A south-facing window or sunroom is ideal. Give them once-weekly water in summer and little water from late fall to winter. Even moderate watering in the winter months can cause cacti and succulents to rot. Taking your potted creations outdoors in summer will help with their overall growth and performance.

These little gardens take some time and investment to create but their beauty will reward you through the seasons. Give them good care and clip and divide them as needed, to keep them in bounds. Reserve any leftover pieces as welcome gifts to share with other plant-minded friends.


Bananas for Indoor Growing

Bananas for Indoor Growing Featured Image
Banana plants (Musa spp.) are tropical, tree-like perennials that produce some of the world’s best-loved fruits.  In their native regions, they often soar high into the sky, crowned by giant paddle-shaped leaves, which can be 6- to 10-feet long, and pendulous bunches of fruit.  A mature plant bearing a bumper banana crop is an inspiring sight.
But, bananas don’t have to reach the stratosphere or live in the tropics.  Dwarf and compact favorites can also do star turns as dramatic house plants, even in limited indoor spaces.  All you need to do is choose the right banana, the right spot, and provide a modest amount of care and feeding.  You may or may not harvest fruit, but you will have a fast-growing specimen that will bring a touch of the exotic to your indoor environment.

Choose Your Indoor Banana

'Pink Velvet' banana
The 4-6-foot pink velvet banana (Musa velutina ‘Pink Velvet’) grows well in large, indoor or outdoor pots.

Some of the best bananas for indoor culture are varieties or hybrids of the Cavendish banana (Musa acuminata).  These are also the most likely to produce edible fruit if provided with optimal growing conditions.  In the wild, the species can reach 20 feet tall, but popular varieties like ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ and ‘Dwarf Lady Finger’ top out at 3 to 6 feet, respectively.
If you are buying your banana for beautiful foliage, the range of choices is larger.  Japanese fiber banana (Musa basjoo), can survive outside in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5  to 10, but it is also happy grown as an indoor plant.  The large green leaves have the characteristic elongated profile, sprouting from thick stalks that can grow up to 8 feet tall indoors.  If your indoor space has high ceilings, Musa basjoo might be just right.

Scarlet banana
Scarlet banana (Musa coccinea) has brilliant red ornamental spikes.

The hybrid banana known as Musa ‘Dwarf Red’, ‘Dwarf Jamaican’ or ‘Macaboo’ bears green leaves with pink to red midribs.  The plant’s “trunk”, which is actually a thickened stem, is a dramatic dark red.  Confined to an indoor container, ‘Dwarf Red’ may reach up to 6 feet in height.
On the smaller end of the banana spectrum is another hybrid, Musa ‘Truly Tiny’, which tops out at just 2 to 4 feet tall.  The plant makes up for its small size with big green leaves, occasionally splashed with red.  It is perfect for a corner, pedestal, or even a table accent.
Scarlet banana (Musa coccinea) is another low grower that reaches about 4.5 feet tall, with large green leaves.  The “scarlet” in its name comes from the brilliant petal-like bracts that enclose the small, true flowers and provide maximum visual interest. Another compact beauty with red color is the 4- to 6-foot pink velvet banana (Musa velutina ‘Pink Velvet’), which quickly bears pinkish-red bananas. The fruits are very sweet but contain large, tough seeds.

Growing Indoor Bananas

Indoor bananas
Bananas need bright light to grow their best indoors.

Like most other plants, bananas do best in conditions that match their native habitats.  Indoors a greenhouse is probably the best situation.  In the absence of a greenhouse, you can still grow banana plants in comfortable living situations with bright light.

Start with cozy temperatures.  Bananas thrive at temperatures that are equally congenial to humans, 60 degrees Fahrenheit and above, but the warmer, the better, especially in the daytime.  High humidity is also helpful.  Place the plants in saucers filled with pebbles and water, or position shallow pans of water near the plant.  Mist regularly.
Choose the right pot for your banana.  Online vendors often sell young plants in four-inch containers.  Transplant to a six or eight-inch container and watch for signs that the Fafard Ultra Potting Mix with Extended Feed and RESiLIENCE packplant is becoming root-bound (roots emerging from drainage hole).  Installing your new banana in a very large container immediately is not a good idea, because a large amount of potting soil will retain water and potentially cause root rot.  Instead, increase the container width by two inches each time you repot.

Eventually, your banana will need a roomy container—at least five-gallon capacity and possibly larger for taller specimens–in order to thrive.
Fill containers with a quality potting mix, like Fafard® Ultra Container Mix with Extended Feed or Fafard® Natural & Organic Potting Soil combined with perlite in a ratio of four parts soil to one part perlite.  If you use a potting mix without built-in fertilizer, feed your banana every month with a balanced fertilizer following package directions.  Stop fertilizing in the winter months when the shorter days and somewhat cooler temperatures slow growth.

Indoors, bananas need as much light as possible and will do best in a south, east or west-facing window.  Position the plant away from drafts and rotate the container on a regular basis for even growth.  Water thoroughly whenever the top of the soil is dry to the touch.
Bananas appreciate a summer vacation outside, provided the container is not too heavy or awkward to move.  Be sure to return the plant to its indoor home when night temperatures fall below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Getting Indoor Bananas to Fruit

‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ banana
This ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ banana has produced a nice bunch of bananas indoors.

Bananas grow fast, but fruiting is slow.  If you choose one of the varieties that produce edible fruit, you may have to wait two or three years for the pendulous flower stalk to appear.  When flowering happens, don’t worry about pollination.  Bananas don’t require pollination to set fruit.  The fruit bunches will not be as large or plentiful as those that hang from outdoor banana trees, but they will be a source of much greater satisfaction.
And if you never get any fruit from your banana, take pleasure in its elegant leaves and the fact that with the addition of only one plant, you have established a little corner of the tropics in the temperate confines of your home.

Windowsill Herbs and Vegetables for Kitchen Gardeners

Windowsill Herbs and Vegetables for Kitchen Gardeners Featured Image
A sunny windowsill is all you need to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs.

Homegrown fresh herbs and vegetables are not just a product of the warm growing months. Several can be easily cultivated along a sunny, south-facing windowsill during winter. Then when temperatures grow warmer, you can plant them outdoors to extend your summer gardening efforts.

Herbs for Indoor Growing

Pots of sweet basil and other herbs
Pots of sweet basil and other herbs grow in a sunny window.

Basil– Fresh sweet basil pesto can just be an arms-length away if you have a sunny kitchen window.  Some grocery stores or retail greenhouses sell plants in colder months, but you can also quickly grow your own from seed. Many varieties take only 40-50 days to grow to a harvestable size.

Small bush varieties, such as ‘Piccolino’ and ‘Pluto’, are the fastest-growing sweet basil types to grow from seed. The large-leaved ‘Pesto Party’ is also fast-growing and tasty. Sow seed on the surface of a small pot filled with Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Soil, which is approved for organic gardening. Keep the soil moist and place your pot in a sunny window. In just one week, the seeds should sprout. Give them even moisture, full sun, and they should thrive.

Small bush basil 'Piccolino'
The small bush basil ‘Piccolino’. (Photo by Johnny’s Selected Seeds)

Rosemary– Pruned rosemary plants are often sold in winter for home growing. New growth can be trimmed off to flavor meats and or pasta sauces. Just be sure to give rosemary lots of sun, and turn window-grown plants every few days for even growth. Refrain from overwatering them because their roots are sensitive to rot caused by excessive moisture.

Thyme– Pots of low-growing French thyme (Thymus vulgaris) or lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus) look pretty and taste great on vegetables, meats, or added to fresh salad dressings. If you have an outdoor plant, you can easily root cuttings for indoor growing. Simply take 6” cuttings, remove the leaves from the bottom 2-inches of the stems, and place them in a clean glass of water. Refresh the water if it starts to look murky. In just a couple of weeks, they will root and can be potted. Like rosemary, thyme requires light watering and lots of sunlight.

Cilantro in pot
Cilantro is very easy to grow indoors. (Image by Johnny’s Selected Seeds)

Cilantro-This cool-season annual herb is one of the easiest to grow indoors. Like basil, it is best grown from seed—with leaves ready for harvest in just 50 days. Try the tidy variety ‘Calypso’, which resists flowering and produces lots of edible leaves for salsa making. Start the seeds as you would basil.

Parsley-Pot-grown parsley thrives in sunny windowsills and quickly regrows new leaves as you trim fresh foliage for cooking. On occasion, plants are sold at grocery stores or in retail greenhouses, but seed-grown plants are probably your best bet. Parsley takes two months to reach a harvestable size from seed, so it is best seeded in late fall for winter growing. Start it as you would basil.

Vegetables for Indoor Growing

Salinova® Green Sweet Crisp lettuce
Salinova® Green Sweet Crisp lettuce is a cut-and-come-again variety for indoor growing.

Greens—Lettuce, spinach, and arugula are all fast-growing salad greens that grow well in indoor pots. In fact, some compact varieties are specially bred for indoor growing. Lettuces in the Salinova® series are compact, cut-and-come-again varieties that grow fast and produce well in pots. Try the curly Salinova® Green Sweet Crisp and red-leaved Salinova® Red Butter. Surface sow the seeds in a rectangular windowsill pot on a sunny sill, give them light moisture, and they will sprout quickly. In just 45-55 days they will be ready to harvest. The fast-growing ‘Corvair’ spinach (21 days) and ‘Esmee’ arugula (21-40 days) can be grown the same way.

Brazilian beak pepper, ‘Biquinho’
The Brazilian beak pepper, ‘Biquinho’. (Image by Johnny’s Selected Seeds)
Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Soil pack

Peppers– Tiny pepper plants with fruits of all colors and heat levels can be grown in super sunny windows. The Brazilian beak pepper ‘Biquinho’ is a new red hot pepper that reaches only 1 to 2 feet high and yields fruits in just 60 days. Lunchbox mixed sweet pepper plants reach 2 to 3 feet, and bear small green peppers in just 55 days (75 days to turn from green to red and orange).
Start seeds in small pots of Black Gold Seedling Mix, keep them just moist and place them in a sunny window. In one to two weeks they should sprout. When they reach 6-inches high, move them into a 1-gallon pot filled with Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Soil, and add a stake to support growing plants. Feed them regularly with a water-soluble tomato and vegetable fertilizer

Tomatoes– If you have very sunny south-facing window or sunroom, you can grow tomatoes indoors. Bush-type (determinate) tomatoes bred for northern growing will grow and fruit the best. Start them indoors from seed in mid to late fall for winter fruiting. Maintaining room temperatures above 65° F will encourage fruit production. In just 60 days, ‘Gold Nugget’ cherry tomatoes bear small, golden tomatoes on short plants reaching 2-feet. For classic red tomatoes, try the high-yielding, disease-resistant ‘Polbig’, which reaches 2-3 feet. Start tomatoes as you would peppers. Support plants with stakes to manage growth, and prune back any leggy stems

Planting herbs and vegetables indoors this winter will keep fresh food on your table until spring. These attractive edibles also provide welcome indoor greenery to brighten cold, snowy days.