The leaves of eucalyptus trees, or gum trees, grow hanging down, rather than horizontally. This is a special adaptation which minimises evaporation and hence water loss (transpiration), as the leaves are not as exposed to sunlight. The leaves usually have equal numbers of stoma on each side, unlike trees which hold their leaves horizontally - they tend to have all or most of their stoma on the lower side. The leaves also tend to have a thick, waxy coating which also minimises water loss.
Leaves of the eucalyptus tree, which is native to Australia.
Leaves on a eucalyptus tree point downwards.
The most common name for the eucalyptus tree is gum tree. This is because eucalyptus trees exude a sticky resin, or gum.
Australia
Gum leaves are leaves from the Eucalyptus tree. Australians commonly refer to Eucalyptus trees as gum trees.
Safaiyda
Deer do not eat eucalyptus leaves as they are unable to digest them.
A large, fast-growing evergreen with bluish green leaves and flowers. The tree can grow to 375 - 480 ft (125 - 160 m).
Not at all. It is a complete myth that koalas are drugged by the large volume of eucalyptus leaves they must eat.
The Koalas habitat is the eucalyptus woodlands, where they eat the leaves of the eucalyptus tree.
Does the tree need more watering?
If you cut a Eucalyptus back to ground level in the spring it will grow as a shrub and show juvenile foliage, let it grow and it will quickly become a tree.