‘Funky Monkey’ Cold Hardy Eucalyptus Tree

Eucalyptus parvula ‘Funky Monkey’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-11

Plant Type: Evergreen Tree (May be semi-deciduous in colder climates)

Height at Maturity: 25-35′

Width at Maturity: 20’+

Spacing: 15′ for solid hedge

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Twisted branching

Growth Rate: Fast

Flower Color: White

Flowering Period: Summer

Foliage Color: Dark Grey-Green

Fragrant Foliage: Yes, strong typical Eucalyptus aroma

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Light Shade

Water Needs: Average to Low

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Dry

Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.5 (Moderate to Slightly Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low when left in it’s natural form

Attracts: Visual Attention, Bees

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Heat, Insect, Drought

Description

Monkeys would have a blast swinging from the branches that twist and turn on the ‘Funky Monkey’ Eucalyptus. The branch structure of older trees takes on an exotic looking growth habit with strikingly beautiful peeling bark. The trunks are smooth grey, green and brown with peeling bark that reveals pink patches of underbark. The small, rounded, grey-green juvenile leaves change over to a narrow, elongated, pendulous leaves as they mature, lining the semi-weeping branches. This is a great one for cutting and use in foliage or flower arrangements.

Cold Hardiness

What we learned in Southern Euc Trials In McDonough, GA (zone 8A): 15 year old Eucalyptus trees had minimal leaf damage and looked great following winters where temps twice reached 6 degrees F. In Westerville, NC, where temperatures reached -10, this one is thriving as large shrubs and small, full trees.

Landscape Uses

Growing up to 30 feet tall and 20 feet or more wide, Funky Monkey is a fast growing larger Eucalyptus tree ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings, or as a tall privacy screen in landscape borders. Its interesting bark, and fragrant foliage makes it a great choice in a large container on a deck, porch, or patio. A fine addition to cut flower gardens, fragrance gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 15 feet apart for privacy screen; 30 feet or more for space between trees

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6b, where this Eucalyptus tree variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

‘Funky Monkey’ Eucalyptus is very adaptable and easy to establish and will constantly reward you with its fragrance, foliage, bark. It thrives it moist or dry soils and will tolerate alkaline conditions. It prefers full sun but will tolerate some light shade. It responds well to pruning if you want to control its size. If you leave it to grow naturally it will mature at up to 30 feet in height. A new addition to the Southern Eucs Series, like the others, ‘Funky Monkey’ is quite cold hardy, thriving as far north in the United States as USDA Hardiness Zone 7a. Find Your Zone

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, fertilize and water a Eucalyptus tree.

How To Plant & Care For A Eucalyptus Tree

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us!

This is a much smaller size tree than I would normally order but only size that was available. Arrived packaged very well and healthy. I’m anxious to see this grow into an actual tree. Very pleased with the quality of the trees and plants I’ve ordered from Wilson Brothers Gardens.———————————————–It will grow!! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Both trees arrived , one is in perfect shape the other arrived with brown leaves . Hopefully she will turn around and do great. ———————–Please keep us posted! If there’s a peroblem please contact Customer service. We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

Last year I was browsing the eucalyptus trees on WB’s site and saw the Funky Monkey and wanted to get it for my brother-in-law who has been developing a grove on his ranch. Unfortunately it couldn’t be sent to CA like most of the plants WB carries and I messaged them I wish they could get the Funky Monkey cleared and they said they were working on it, and sure enough when I looked a month ago it was available to be sent to CA. Their plants are always packaged perfectly and the little tree was in great shape when it arrived. Thank you WB!——————————————–We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! And we are glad to be able to ship to California too. Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂