Accession Count: 16
Common Name:
ghost gum
Family Name:
Myrtaceae
Botanical Name:
Corymbia papuana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
C. papuana is an evergreen tree with smooth, almost luminously white bark. Leaves are three inches long, lanceolate, and gray-green. The ghost gum can be 20 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 50 feet wide. White flowers appear in summertime.
Compound:
Cor pap
Geographic Origin:
Australia
Ecozone Origin:
Australasia
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The ghost gum tree originated in Central Australia. It common name is attributed to the pure white flowers and exquisite white bark which gives it a ghostly appearance.
Cultivation Notes:
C. papuana can tolerate droughts and low humidity. It grows best in full sun, and should be planted in the spring or early summer. Hardy to 22°F but recovered from severe freeze injury in Tucson, AZ winter 2011. Temperatures dropped to 15F and stayed below freezing temperature for 3 days. Bark developed 2" thick fissures and fell off in large plates. The following spring the tree regrew the bark, deadwood was self-pruned and the canopy looked "as good as new" by the following year! The last picture in the series on this page (to the left) shows the fully recovered tree in 2024.
Ethnobotany:
C. papuana is a specimen tree for open groves, parks, roadsides, or other large spaces. It is an attractive tree at maturity, and is valued for its unique trunk and branch character.
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
20 - 50 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
White
Function:
Screen
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
Duffield, Mary Rose., and Warren D. Jones. Plants For Dry Climates - How To Select, Grow And Enjoy. Lane Publishing Company, 1992.
