I have two ‘Silver Princess’ gums. Is the pale pink colour rare? I grew the trees from seed.

Robyn Boynton, Ardlethan, NSW

ANGUS STEWART SAYS Eucalyptus caesia ‘Silver Princess’ is a naturally occurring form of a Western Australian species found in the inland areas of south-west Western Australia. It has much larger flowers than other forms of this species. It is normally propagated by seed, as that is the most economical way to propagate it commercially. This does, however, lead to some genetic variability in the resulting seedlings, and your lovely pink form is the sort of variation that typically results. It is unlikely to come true to that type if you grow it from seed, but it could be propagated by grafting.