Marri

Marri is an easy-to-grow, graceful, large tree with abundant white flowers and large gum-nuts.

Large Tree Waterwise

For information on staying waterwise, seeking a watering exemption while establishing your garden, offers, rebates and more, please visit the Water Corporation website.

Noongar Name: Marri

Scientific Name: Corymbia calophylla

Performance: Easy to grow

Size: Large tree with a maximum height up to 40m

Flower: White

Flowering Time: Birak-Djeran (Dec-May)

Natural Distribution: Grows locally in the Perth region

: Corymbia calophylla (CC BY-NC 4.0) Shelley Moore

: Corymbia calophylla (CC BY-NC 4.0) tjeales

: Corymbia calophylla – Margaret Donald

: Corymbia calophylla 1 – Friends of Queens Park

: ‘Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (C)Tony Luha 2015 birdlifephotography.org.au’

: ‘Red-capped Parrot (C)Ken Glasson 2015 birdlifephotography.org.au’

: ‘Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo (C)William Betts 2017 birdlifephotography.org.au’

Growing at a Glance

See Growing Guide for more detail

Position: Suitable for a sunny position.

Watering: A waterwise, drought-hardy plant.

Feeding: Fertiliser not required.

Pruning: Generally not needed.

Waterwise Listing

Growing Guide

Ideal Position

Marri is versatile, enjoying a range of positions. Suitable for denser plantings and will perform well in full sun or light shade.

Marri is ideally placed at the back of your garden bed.

The Water Corporation has listed Marri as a species of moderate root invasiveness. Check with Water Corporation and Dial Before You Dig before selecting where to plant.

When to Plant and Watering

Plant young seedlings in Djeran (mid-Autumn) prior to the Makuru rains (Winter). Avoid planting in the hottest times of the year.

Seedlings should be watered twice a week over their first summer in the garden. It is important to ensure water penetrates down into the root-zone.

We recommend using a soil wetting agent as Perth soils are often ‘water repellent’, or do not absorb water effectively.

A layer of composted, coarse mulch can help in getting your garden started. It will help by reducing water loss and suppressing the growth of weeds.

Marri are waterwise, drought-hardy plants and do not require supplementary water once established.

Marri should be grouped with other waterwise, drought-hardy plants.

Feeding and Soil Care

Marri don’t need fertiliser because they are adapted to grow in our local soils, which are typically low in nutrients.

Plants will benefit from adding some vegetable-based compost (avoid those with manure) into the soil at planting.

As your garden develops, practice ‘cut and drop’ when you prune your plants. The leaf and branch material that falls to the ground slowly breaks down over time, releasing nutrients to help your garden to grow.

How to Prune

Marri generally don’t need pruning for shape, as their natural growth is usually attractive and/or interesting.

If part of the plant dies or grows in an undesired direction, prune from the base of the stem in question with a pair of secateurs or loppers.

You can also leave dead leaves and branches on the plant, as they provide valuable habitat and camouflage for insects.

Pruning trees of this size is a specialised skill. We recommend engaging a reputable tree surgeon for any pruning needs.