Eucryphia lucida Pink cloud

The Eucryphia lucida Pink Cloud is a lovely cultivar of Eucryphia lucida that is characterised by a denser habit and a summer flowering of bright pink, generous and fragrant flowers. This evergreen shrub, native to Oceania, is truly decorative but has some requirements: it is not very hardy and requires an acidic to neutral, well-drained soil that remains moist in summer. It thrives in climates that are both humid and mild.

The Eucryphia lucida Pink Cloud belongs to the Cunoniaceae family, which includes about 300 species of trees and shrubs found in temperate to tropical regions of the southern hemisphere. Eucryphia lucida (synonym E. billardieri) is native to the moist and temperate regions of Australia and Tasmania. In its natural habitat, it takes the form of a tree with a narrow habit, reaching a height of 25 m (82 ft). In our climate, Eucryphia lucida is a large shrub or small tree that does not exceed 6 m (19 ft 8 in) in height and 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) in width when grown in open ground. When grown in containers, its dimensions will be much smaller. An adult specimen can withstand temperatures of down to -10 °C, but its foliage is damaged from -7 °C.

The Eucryphia Pink Cloud is a wild form discovered in 1984 in northwestern Tasmania. The plant reaches approximately 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in height and 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) in width at maturity when grown in open ground. It is a slow-growing shrub with a bushy habit, composed of numerous upright, flexible, fuzzy and slightly sticky branches. Its dense and evergreen foliage in winter consists of entire and narrow leaves, with elongated oval shape, measuring 4-5 cm (1.6-2 in) in length. The young leaves are glossy, while the mature leaves have a simple glossy appearance, medium green on the upper side and bluish underneath. Flowering, which is massive and fragrant, usually begins in August and continues throughout the month of September. On mature plants, it can last from July to September. It takes the form of cup-shaped flowers, measuring 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter, composed of 4 petals. In 'Pink Cloud', the petals are pale pink with a darker pink border. The centre of the flower, a deep pink colour, is crowned by a beautiful cluster of stamens with brown anthers. After pollination by pollinating insects, small capsules containing winged seeds are formed.

The Eucryphia lucida Pink Cloud is cultivated in open ground in regions where winters are mild and summers are temperate, only in well-drained non-chalky soil. To accompany it, consider the Chilean Fire Tree (Embothrium coccineum), the Metrosideros Mistral, or the Grevillea robusta, for example, which are shrubs that thrive in similar conditions. When pruned each year, it can adapt to growing in large pots or containers. In colder regions, it will be necessary to find a place to overwinter it, such as a conservatory.