Eucalyptus erthrocorys and Eucalyptus caesia ‘Silver Princess’ are two native trees that a selling well as they qualify for rebates when planted in WA.
“The Tree Recovery Program (replacing trees lost to the insect pest polyphagous shot-hole borer) and Treebate initiatives are boosting tree sales across the board,” Lisa Passmore, CEO, Greenlife Industry WA, told NZ Commercial Horticulture magazine (December 2025-January 2026 explaining that Treebate is a government initiative that focuses on increasing urban canopy cover.
“Among independent garden centres, sales of the qualifying trees, which are Australian natives with a mature canopy of at least 3m, remain strong,” she said.
Midway through the 10,000 possible claims for this year, the top-selling trees (and tree-like shrubs) are: Grevillea ‘City Lights’ (from the highly successful Kings Park Breeding Program); Macadamia (demonstrating the popularity of edible options); Eucalyptus caesia ‘Silver Princess’; Eucalyptus erythrocorys; and Eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea.
“With WA’s urban canopy among the lowest in the country, the uplift generated by programs including Treebate is very promising and a step in the right direction. What we now need is a national campaign to engage homeowners who haven’t yet been converted to the value and importance of trees,” said Lisa. “As the Ellenby Tree Farm sticker so perfectly puts it: ‘Are you breathing? Thank a tree’.
“In other developments, we’re actively planning the Perth Garden Show 2026 (April 17–19, 2026) and a State Conference in August 2026 (date to be confirmed). Things are looking up in Perth, and we’re excited about the future,” says Lisa.
