Just take the leaves in any way you can - chop off a whole branch if you want to! But as with any plant, it's best to take no more than one-third of the growth at any one time. And with a eucalyptus tree, that would be quite a lot! (It is a large tree, usually around 60 metres - 200ft - and often more.) Eucalyptus trees are famous for their falling branches - often onto houses or cars or tents in camping areas, which is why sensible people don't grow them in their back yards or park their cars under them.

Yes, the leaves can be dried. Usually, however, the essential oil is extracted from the leaves, and bottled. It's not a process that is easily done at home, although just for fun you could cram as many leaves as possible into a saucepan, cover with water and boil. Leave the lid on. After a while, you will notice some oil globules floating on top of the water. You can syphon these off before they evaporate, and bottle it, but it will be contaminated with water so won't store as long as the pure oil.

You can make a tea from the fresh or dried leaves (1-2 teaspoons) just by pouring boiling water (1 cup) over them and letting them steep for a few minutes. Or you can make a tincture.

Please remember that eucalyptus oil is highly flammable. In a heatwave, the evaporating oil can saturate the atmosphere and 'explode' - this is a common cause of bushfires in Australia during summer.

Here is a link that might be useful:

eucalypus means... lots of different things. Ive not heard of it as a 'herb'. there are 1000's of different kinds... from lots of types of trees, to shrubs to flowring plants to.. loads!

dont forget, its poisonous. Im not sure what you plan on doing but dont ingest it.

There are many species of Eucalypts, but all have medicinal (and other) uses, and therefore they are all herbs - the Australian Aborigines knew this well! The one most commonly used for extracting the essential oil is Eucalyptus globulus, though many others are also used.

The leaves can be used as a poultice for skin ailments and to relieve pain from rheumatism and sore muscles. The distilled essential oil has been used externally and internally for ailments from fever, whooping cough, bronchial and throat infections, discharges, wounds and ulcers. The oil has have been known to be effective against flu, pyorrhea, and for burns, to prevent infection. It may also help with cystitis, diabetes, diarrhoea, migraines, skin ulcers, wounds, pain, and to stimulate the circulation. A spray of eucalyptus can be used to soothe a sore throat. It has also been used as a room disinfectant. A small drop on the tongue eases nausea. Externally applied, the oil gives relief in some forms of neuralgic and rheumatic pains. The honey made by bees using the eucalyptus pollen has been recommended for parasitic and putrescent conditions, gonorrhoea, fevers and catarrhal diseases. It is sedative to the heart, actively diuretic and increases the elimination of uric acid.

Medicinal Actions: Antiseptic, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, tonic, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, astringent, stimulant, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, analgaesic, antiperiodic, deodorant, expectorant, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic.

Usual Dosage: Boil mature leaves in water and condense the vapour to recover the oil. It is usually used externally but a drop or two may be included in throat lozenges. A drop or two on a handkerchief, and the aroma inhaled, helps to clear congestion. An infusion may be made with 1-2 teaspoonfuls of dried, crushed leaves to 1 cup of boiling water. Let infuse for 10-15 minutes. Take up to 2 cups per day. Tincture: 1ml, three times per day. Pour boiling water over a few leaves, or add a few drops of the oil to the boiling water, and inhale the steam for chest infections. Add 2ml of the oil to 100ml water, soak a cloth pad in it and apply to inflammations and painful joints.

Other Uses: The leaves and essential oil are used as an insect repellent. The essential oil is used in spot cleaners for cleaning off oil and grease. It is often used to remove labels from bottles. A yellow-brown dye is obtained from the young leaves without a mordant. Grey and green dyes are obtained from the young shoots. A dark green dye is obtained from the young bark. The timber is used to make paper and is useful for construction work because it is resistant to termites.

Warning: Avoid contact with eyes. Avoid use if experiencing inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases or diseases involving bile ducts or liver. Do not use Eucalyptus preparations on the face or nose of young children or infants.

All essential oils are toxic in sufficient dosages. Eucalyptus can be taken in small quantities. When I was a child, my mother always gave me a teaspoon of sugar with a drop of Eucalyptus oil on it to swallow as a remedy for a sore throat. I'm still alive to tell the tale, and it really worked! And you will find eucalyptus oil is an ingredient of many a commercial or home-made cough/cold remedy (cough syrups, lozenges etc). But yes, caution is advised, as with all home treatments.

Is there anyway to maintain a lemon eucalyptus from shooting to the sky? Can I cut it back drastically and try to make it clump. It has gotten so tall I can no loner reach leaves making it worthless as an herb to me.

Bonsai? But truly, if you buy a plant that is a baby tree, it's going to become a BIG plant! I suggest you buy a ladder.

" In a heatwave, the evaporating oil can saturate the atmosphere and 'explode' - this is a common cause of bushfires in Australia during summer. "

What??? When does this happen and how do you know? I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong but I live in the bush, have experienced many heat waves, have read about the causes of many fires and have fought many bushfires...never have I heard of this happening. Do you have any facts to back this statement up because I'd be very interested in reading up on this.