Waterlogged Gum Trees: Can They Be Saved?

Three of four 5-year-old gum trees (Eucalyptus spp.) in saturated soil have curled leaves and appear dying after an extremely wet winter.

The Problem

Saturated soil = no oxygen = root suffocation. Gum trees like moisture but not anaerobic conditions.

Rescue Attempts

• Improve drainage: French drains, swales, raised beds.
• If water can’t be diverted, trees will likely die.
• Don’t fertilize—stimulates top growth roots can’t support.

If the site is chronically wet, replace with water-tolerant species (bald cypress, river birch, willow).