Description

Peppermint Tree (Agonis flexuosa) is an excellent specimen tree for small- and medium-sized gardens. This Australian native tree reaches 35' tall and 15’-30’ wide, is very low-water-use, and is low maintenance. These trees can be found in nurseries in both single-trunk and multi-trunk forms. The natural growth habit is weeping and irregular, so it does require some selective pruning and shaping when it is young to achieve the desired look. Thinning out the heavy, weeping branches will take some of the weight out of them, and they usually lift. The tree may require this type of pruning a few times a year for the first two or three years. Once it has reached a height requiring a ladder to prune, it should be shaped by a licensed arborist. Since this tree has very low water use, it is susceptible to root rot during the hotter months if it is overwatered. It does very well in California-friendly gardens that typically prefer most of their irrigation in the fall, winter, and spring, with very little supplemental water in the summer. This tree should be planted at least five feet away from any hardscape areas, 10 feet from structures such as houses and buildings, and not near any powerlines. Shrubs and perennials should be planted about three feet away from this tree. It should be irrigated for about 45 minutes once a week when using most in-line drip irrigation systems.