What Can I Grow With Eucalyptus?

Pea Family Plants

• Plants belonging to the pea family fare well beneath the shade of eucalyptus trees. These plants do not need bright sunlight and have nodules that accumulate nitrogen in their roots. This helps them provide their own food without competing with eucalyptus roots. Pea family plants like indigo, lupin, wattle, sweet peas and sickle bush grow well under eucalyptus.

Low-Growing Creeper Plants

• Low-growing creeper plants or ground covers that need shade and flourish even in poor soil fare well below Eucalyptus trees. Trailing lantana, periwinkle, Japanese honeysuckle, Australian bluebell creeper, Asian jasmine, some varieties of ivy, pittosporum varieties of ground cover flowers, and primrose thrive under eucalyptus trees.

Shrubs and Bushes

• Shrubs that tolerate poor soil and cultivate well in shade will grow under eucalyptus trees. Some shrubs and bushes that prosper in these conditions include geranium, plants belonging to the species acacia, foxglove, dead nettle, sweet woodruff, most species of aloe, amaryllis, salvia, the California rose, bougainvillea and the Japanese pachysandra.

Grass

• Crinkled hair grass and bottlebrush grass tolerate dry soil and excessive shade and grow as lawns under eucalyptus trees. Most species of bamboo grow well with eucalyptus as an ornamental shrub grass and for growing a hedge near eucalyptus.

Ferns

• Most ferns require moist soil to thrive but some species like eastern hay scented fern, interrupted fern and Christmas fern blossom in the dry shade landscape under eucalyptus trees.

Lilies

• The agapanthus lily, bleeding heart lilies, butterfly lilies, spider lilies and all varieties of iris require plenty of shade and, unlike other lilies, tolerate poor soil.

Plants in Containers

• Plants that require shade but need moist and organic soil can grow in containers beneath eucalyptus trees. Herbs in containers that require constant shade thrive when grown in containers under eucalyptus. Annual and perennial flowering plants that require shade also do well planted in pots or containers under eucalyptus trees.