RAINBOW EUCALYPTUS

Scientific Name : Eucalyptus deglupta Blume

Family : Myrtaceae

Genus : Eucalyptus

Species : deglupta

Common Names : Mindanao Gum, Rainbow Eucalyptus, Rainbow Gum, Kamarere, Deglupta, Bagras

Eucalyptus deglupta is a tall tree species, commonly known as the rainbow eucalyptus, native to the Bismarck Archipelago, Lesser Sunda Is., Maluku New Guinea, Philippines, Sulawesi. In its natural habitat, the tree can reach a height of 250 feet (76 metres). The tree has been brought into many other nations for cultivation purposes, including the United States, where it is grown in frost-free areas such as Hawaii and the southern parts of Texas, Florida, and California.

Etymology

The name Eukalypto is derived from the Greek words eu, which means well, and kalypto, which means to cover, as in a lid, and references the connected calyx-lobes petals that create a lid or cap that is shed when the flower opens.

Description

The Mindanao gum (Eucalyptus deglupta) is a tall, broad-leaved evergreen tree that grows up to 200 feet tall in its native environments. In the summer, the tree’s trunk, which has a diameter of around 6 feet, is known for its multi-coloured appearance. The smooth, orangetinted trunk bark peels away in the summer, revealing a rainbow of hues in the new bark layer. During the summer, rows of rainbow eucalyptus trees with sharp bark streaked with green, yellow, red, and orange colours make for a beautiful picture. On the other hand, the rainbow eucalyptus grows to a lesser size and shows fewer colours outside of its natural habitat. The acuminate, lance-shaped leaves (up to 6”) emit a pleasant aroma when crushed. Tiny white flowers in axillary or terminal compound inflorescences (panicles of 7-flowered umbels) bloom at different times of the year based on the location.

Cultivation/Propagation

The rainbow tree thrives in full sun or partial shade. As it grows natively in rainforest habitats, it prefers a lot of water. The tree prefers a tropical climate that is humid and chilly. Seeds are used for propagation. Eucalyptus deglupta can be grown from seed quite simply. The weight of 1000 seeds is 0.1–0.5 g. Collect the fruits when they are greenish-brown and dry them in the sun for 2–3 days to retrieve the seed. Seeds can be stored under cool, dry, and airtight conditions for 1–2 years. Germination takes place best around 32–35°C, and no pre-treatment is required. The seeds have a 50–60% germination rate and yield 1000–2000 seedlings per gram of dry seeds. Seedlings in nurseries can be planted when they are 3–4 months old and 25–30 cm tall, and germination takes 4–20 days.

Uses

Eucalyptus deglupta is a notable pulp-producing plantation tree; both the wood and the bark provide pulp. The wood (trade name: kamarere) is a valuable timber used for light and heavy construction, flooring, furniture, joinery, moulding, boat building, posts, poles, veneer, plywood, particleboard, hardboard, and wood-wool board. It’s also used as fuelwood and manufacturing charcoal, although it’s usually too valuable. Because of its elegant bark, Eucalyptus deglupta is widely planted as an ornamental tree. Land reclamation, reforestation, and forest enrichment planting are all done using this tree. It is extensively utilised as a shade tree in coffee plantations in Costa Rica. It’s forage for bees.

Did you know that?

The tree was planted in swampy areas of Africa so that it would soak up excess water and limit mosquito reproduction, thus preventing malaria.

To know more about We Grow Forest Foundation please visit our website https://wegrowforest.org/ or contact us at on 9778411911 or email at us plant@wegrowforest.org