Gardening Plants & Flowers Trees

12 Popular Gum Tree Species

Gum trees with white-colored bark on tall trunks and long branches by lake

The Spruce / Almar Creative

Within the myrtle (Myrtaceae) family of plants, three genera contain shrub and tree species commonly known as gum trees: Eucalyptus (the majority of gum species), Angophora, and Corymbia. The latter was included in the Eucalyptus genus up until the 1990s, and some sources may still identify it as belonging to that genus.

Whatever group they're in, gum trees gained their name because they ooze visible amounts of thick, gummy sap if the trunk surface is damaged. Note that sweetgums (Liquidambar spp.) are not true gum trees and they are not related to the true black gums (Nyssa sylvatica). Read on to learn more about gum trees and 12 popular gum species to consider.

Gum Tree Uses

Almost all gum trees are native to Australia, where they're the primary food of koalas. Over time, they've been cultivated in other tropical regions around the world, and some gum trees can even live in cooler locations such as Norway. However, in some regions, gums are considered an invasive species.

Gum trees, which are readily identifiable by their smooth or stringy bark and lance-shaped leaves, have a variety of applications. Oil from gum tree leaves is used in many medications, and some people even like to chew on hardened chunks of sap. Honey is made by bees that visit the trees, and many species have wood that's useful as lumber.

In landscaping, gums are typically used as shade trees or specimen trees. Often as a way to recover from fires, some species form a lignotuber, an underground root tuber with buds that can produce new trunk stems as needed. A tree with this structure is called a mallee.

Warning

Despite the enticing aroma, eucalyptus leaves and bark are toxic to humans and pets.

  • 01 of 12

    Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus)

    Blue gum trees with pale trunks and green foliage
    metriognome / Getty Images

    The blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus), also known as the common eucalyptus, is the most frequently planted eucalyptus in the world. The shabby-barked tree has blue-green leaves and a distinctive menthol scent common to many gum species. This towering specimen produces flammable litter on the ground and thus is a notable danger in areas prone to wildfires. In some places (especially California), the blue gum is considered invasive, and planting it is discouraged.

    • Name: Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus)
    • Native Area: Southeastern Australia, Tasmania
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8-10
    • Height: 40+ feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 02 of 12

    Dwarf Apple

    White and yellow flowers of the dwarf apple gum tree
    KarenHBlack / Getty Images

    As the species name, which means "bristly," indicates, this tree has red bristles on its stems and new leaves. The dwarf apple (Angophora hispida), also known as the scrub apple, is a smaller gum tree type and looks somewhat like a juvenile apple tree, a resemblance responsible for the common name. It doesn't have the menthol scent found in many gum trees. The trunk is twisted, and it blooms with clusters of white flowers in late fall and early winter. This tree may also be found as a mallee, forming a base tuber from which it can re-sprout.

    • Name: Dwarf apple (Angophora hispida)
    • Native Area: New South Wales, Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
    • Height: Up to 20 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 03 of 12

    Lemon-Scented Gum

    Lemon-scented gums with gray bark and green foliage
    Manfred Gottschalk / Getty Images

    This tree features leaves with a strong lemon scent that can be used as an insect repellant. The lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora) is a tall specimen formerly classified as a eucalyptus species, with aromatic leaves common to that genus. The bark is white to pinkish-copper, shedding in thin flakes, and the lance-shaped leaves are glossy green. The tree has an elegant, stately shape that makes it a favorite in public gardens and large landscapes. This species forms a lignotuber.

    • Name: Lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora)
    • Native Area: Australia, Tasmania
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7-10
    • Height: 40+ feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 04 of 12

    Manna Gum

    Manna gum tree with white bark and green foliage
    ArtEvent ET / Getty Images

    The smooth, powdery bark on the manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis), also known as white gum or ribbon gum, comes off in hanging strips, making it unmistakable. The common name derives from the white powdery substance that falls from the tree's new leaves, which tastes sweet and was once used by indigenous peoples of Australia. This is one of the few gum tree types that can tolerate cooler climates.

    • Name: Manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis)
    • Native Area: Southeastern Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
    • Height: Up to 100 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    Continue to 5 of 12 below
  • 05 of 12

    Rainbow Gum

    Rainbow gum tree with variegated brown park and green leaves
    twildlife / Getty Images

    The sole eucalyptus species from north of the Equator, the rainbow gum (Eucalyptus deglupta), features spectacular bark. The orange-tinted bark peels away to reveal hues of green, yellow, and purplish-brown below the surface. This gum tree type is grown commercially for pulpwood but is also used as an ornamental landscape tree in frost-free climates.

    • Name: Rainbow gum (Eucalyptus deglupta)
    • Native Area: Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 10–11
    • Height: 100-125 feet (200–250 feet in native habitat)
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 06 of 12

    Red Cap Gum

    Vibrant yellow flowers and red buds of the red cap gum tree
    KarenHBlack / Getty Images

    The red cap gum (Eucalyptus erythrocorys) is a relatively small gum, with a low spreading canopy that sags under the weight of large bell-shaped fruit. A scarlet cap covers the yellow blossoms before they open, lending the tree its common name. Another species that can be a mallee, red cap gum trees are attractive to birds, but the limbs are prone to breaking.

    • Name: Red cap gum (Eucalyptus erythrocorys)
    • Native Area: Western Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–10
    • Height: 10–30 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 07 of 12

    Red Flowering Gum

    Red flowering Gum tree with red flowers and green leaves


    Danita Delimont / Getty Images

    The species name indicates that the leaves of this tree are similar to those found on ficus trees. Like many other species in the Myrtaceae family, the blooms of the red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) contain stamens with no petals. Bright red, pink, or orange flowers appear in winter and spring, making this one of the more popular gum species for landscape use. It belongs to a category of eucalyptus known as a bloodwood, named for the color of its sap.

    • Name: Red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia)
    • Native Area: Western Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
    • Height: Up to 40 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 08 of 12

    Salmon Gum

    Salmon gum tree with salmon-colored bark and dark green foliage

     

    Australian Scenics / Getty Images

    A good choice for regions with poor, salty soil, the salmon gum tree (Eucalyptus salmonophloia) sports smooth salmon-colored bark during the summer that turns gray in the winter. Though not a common landscape tree, this gum type has a variety of practical uses, from firewood to furniture-making.

    • Name: Salmon gum (Eucalyptus salmonophloia)
    • Native Area: Western Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
    • Height: Up to 100 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    Continue to 9 of 12 below
  • 09 of 12

    Silver Dollar Gum

    Silver dollar gum tree branches in a silver-blue hue
    Etsy

    Juvenile sprigs from the silver dollar gum tree (Eucalyptus cinerea) are often used in the floral design industry, as are the young leaves of another species known by the same common name, E. polyanthemos. The silver dollar gum grows fast enough in one season (6 to 8 feet) to work as a large annual in cooler areas. 

    • Name: Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus cinerea)
    • Native Area: Southeastern Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
    • Height: Up to 10 feet (Up to 60 feet in native habitat)
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 10 of 12

    Scribbly Gum

    Scribbly gum tree with squiggle marks in its pale bark
    Ken Griffiths / Getty Images

    The scribbly gum tree's (Eucalyptus haemastoma) name is inspired by the squiggly lines of tunnels left by scribbly gum moth larvae as they burrow in the bark. This plant has attractive, twisted branches that make it an excellent specimen tree. It does well in poor, sandy soils but adapts well to any well-drained soil.

    • Name: Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)
    • Native Area: Southeastern Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
    • Height: 30 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 11 of 12

    Snow Gum

    Snow gum trees multicolored bark
    Ignacio Palacios / Getty Images

    The snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) can survive in cold regions, even where there's snow—thus its common name. This tree is not true to its species name, however, which translates to "few flowers." The snow gum tree has ample clusters of white flowers as well as smooth white, gray, or yellow bark that sheds in ribbons and sometimes has insect scribbles. It often forms a lignotuber.

    • Name: Snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora)
    • Native Area: Southeastern Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7–10
    • Height: 40 feet; depending on subspecies
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 12 of 12

    Spotted Gum

    Spotted gum trees with pale bark and green leaves
    lovleah / Getty Images

    Featuring lemon-scented leaves, the spotted gum tree (Corymbia maculata) is endemic to Australia. The smooth, mottled bark forms a distinctive spotted pattern. A favorite food source for rainbow lorikeet birds, this large tree works well in parks or as a street tree but is too massive to be practical for most home landscapes.

    • Name: Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata)
    • Native Area: Southeastern Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–10
    • Height: Up to 100 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
FAQ
  • Are gum trees used to make chewing gum?

    Gum trees are not used to make chewing gum. Chewing gum used to be made from the sap of a sapodilla tree (Manilkara zapota) and now it is made from a combination of resins from trees such as spruces, sweeteners, and other synthetic fillers.

  • Are there any gum trees that grow in the U.S.?

    Some types of eucalyptus trees grow in Hawaii and California.

  • Are gum trees the same as eucalyptus trees?

    Eucalyptus trees make up most of the species of gum trees.

  • How can you identify a gum tree?

    The most distinguishing characteristic of a gum or eucalyptus tree is its pronounced shaggy, stringy bark. However, some gum trees have extremely smooth bark. Gum tree leaves may also have a distinctive menthol scent when crushed.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Eucalyptus cinerea. North Carolina State Extension.

  2. What is chewing gum made of? BBC Science Focus Magazine.

  3. Bluegum Eucalyptus. USDA.