Agonis fluxuosa

Peppermint Willow

Seen below there is a typical example of an Agonis fluxuosa. They are a drought tolerant tree from Australia in the Myrtle family (Eucalyptus family). This particular tree is at 16 Seal Rock Drive, all the way out in the outer Richmond District in San Francisco. It is a ten minute walk to the Cliff House. These trees are one of the few that can withstand the conditions in this neighborhood: ocean influenced wind, sandy soil, and a lot of fog. While these trees prefer full sun, they can take the part shade created by the constant fog.

One of the characteristics of this tree is that they often develop without a strong central leader. This tree, pictured below, is the perfect example. They always need to be trained by an arborist if they are to be used as a street tree.

Before

After

As you can see we shaped this tree up so that it has a high center and strong, balanced structure. We will most likely have to come back in a year or two to make further adjustments.

Here are a picture of the flowers. They are small, but fragrant. The leaves smell like peppermint when crushed.

The Agonis fluxuosa also comes in purple.