There are a huge number of trees growing all over the planet, but even among them there is only one that is truly impressive - eucalyptus. Eucalyptus has an impressive size and is actively used in many industries. This tree has a hundred different species, which makes it even more interesting and unusual. In this article we will tell you everything about eucalyptus: what types there are, where it grows, and also share little secrets that will help you grow a eucalyptus tree right at home.
Types and varieties of eucalyptus, appearance
Eucalyptus leaves are pointed, oblong, somewhat similar to the leaves of our willow. The oldest eucalyptus tree reaches 100 m in height. However, its height can vary; eucalyptus can also grow as a shrub. The eucalyptus flower is yellow, red or white and looks very interesting. They look like a bunch of fringe with small dots of a different color at the end. The tree crowns themselves usually have a weeping shape.
In total, more than 700 species of this plant are known. There are conical, almond-leaved, berry, crowded, ash, white, parvifolia and other types of eucalyptus.
Features of eucalyptus
Until 1788, the eucalyptus tree did not have an official name. A French botanist proposed the scientific name in Latin, which is still used today.
Eucalyptus in Greek means “to hide the goodness under the leaves.” This evergreen shrub is part of the Myrtaceae family. The height of such a tree can reach up to 100 meters. Moreover, its average life expectancy is from 300 to 500 years.
This plant has a crown of quite impressive size, but it casts virtually no shadow. This is due to a characteristic feature of the tree: all its leaf plates are located sideways to the sun throughout the day.
Crown, trunk and bark
The thickness of the bark and its appearance are directly related to the variety of plant. Some varieties have thick bark and a smooth surface. In other varieties, on the contrary, it is fibrous. Experts divide the bark into subspecies, namely: fibrous bark, scaly bark, smooth bark, iron bark, peppermint bark, folded bark. The name of the subgroup itself speaks about the appearance of the bark.
The crown of a tree can have different shapes: pyramidal, ovoid, spherical, etc. As for the trunk, it can be slightly curved or straight. Moreover, all varieties of eucalyptus are distinguished by strong branching.
Foliage
The foliage of the eucalyptus tree is of the greatest value. It has an oblong shape and all the time the plates are turned edge-on in relation to the sun. The foliage is colored green, but there are varieties with bluish leaf blades.
Some varieties grow very quickly, while other varieties grow extremely slowly. Adult and young leaf blades differ from each other only in shape and size. The foliage has a pleasant resinous odor characteristic of eucalyptus.
The foliage of the eucalyptus tree is of particular value. A lot of medicines have been created on its basis. In addition, eucalyptus foliage is widely used in folk medicine for a variety of diseases.
Fruits and flowers
Few people know that eucalyptus is a flowering plant. Moreover, after the flowers fade, fruits form in their place. Not very large flowers have an unusual shape of open umbrellas. They can be painted in various shades, for example: white, pink, yellow or red. Eucalyptus flowers can even be seen in flower shops. The tree blooms for the first time at the age of 2–10 years. Flowering begins in the last spring or first summer days.
The capsule fruit ripens within 12 months. Seeds form in the box. However, even after the seeds are fully ripe, most of them (about 80 percent) will remain underdeveloped. Those seeds that are well developed are characterized by high germination. At the same time, a high level of germination is maintained for 10 years (in rare cases, up to 40 years).
Root system
Since the eucalyptus tree is very tall, its root system is powerful and well developed. The branched root system penetrates into the deep layers of the soil.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT EUCALYPTUS!!!
Where and how does it grow
Eucalyptus (a tree native to Australia) grows in entire groves, or even creating forests. There this wild plant forms entire thickets. It also grows wild in large quantities in Indonesia, New Zealand, the Philippine Islands and New Guinea. Now it grows not only there, but in most corners of the earth.
Eucalyptus grows quickly, and this has gained popularity among green spaces not only in Asia and Africa, but also in Europe and America. It is often used to drain soil in wetlands. Eucalyptus trees prefer to grow in places where there is a lot of sunlight, particularly on mountain slopes. However, some of their species also grow in gorges.
What kind of tree is eucalyptus
Among the huge number of trees growing on earth, there are some that amaze with their incredible size, their height reaches 100 meters or more. One of these “green giants” can rightfully be considered eucalyptus, a heat-loving plant native to Australia. The tallest eucalyptus trees in modern times are the two regal eucalyptus trees. One, 99.4 meters high, grows on Mount Baw Baw in Gippsland in Victoria. The other, 100.5 meters high, is located on the island of Tasmania, in the valley of the Styx River. This eucalyptus is called Centurion (from the Latin centuria - hundred), but its name is not related to its height, but is named so because it was the hundredth recorded giant tree over 100 meters in height. The age of these giants is 350 - 400 years.
Over a fairly large area of Australia, there are almost all climatic zones, and each zone has its own eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus is a separate genus of trees; depending on the type, eucalyptus trees look completely different. Among the eucalyptus trees there are all varieties, these are very tall, straight-trunked giant eucalyptus trees growing in humid coastal areas, and not tall gnarled trees growing in the mountains, and low-growing shrubs living in the deserts of Central Australia. And although they differ from each other in appearance, they are all heat-loving, evergreen, hard-leaved, mostly resinous, and belong to the large myrtle family.
Application
In cooking
A small amount of eucalyptus leaves is added to marinades for meat and fish, which gives them an indescribable, lasting aroma. In addition, they are even added to confectionery products, which gives them a feeling of freshness. Eucalyptus is also added to tea if you want to get a boost of energy for the day or to keep warm in bad weather.
In medicine
Eucalyptus is very widely used in medicine due to its disinfectant, wound healing and analgesic properties, as well as its ability to strengthen the immune system. Its healing properties are used in the treatment of bronchitis, sore throat, acute respiratory infections, influenza and even tuberculosis. As well as osteochondrosis, arthritis, neuralgia and many other diseases.
When losing weight
Scientists have proven that inhaling eucalyptus essential oil reduces food cravings. So if you get excited by the sight of delicious food in a window or in a picture, eucalyptus oil will help you. And if you're just trying to lose weight, inhaling eucalyptus oil before meals will reduce your appetite, resulting in you being satisfied with a much smaller portion.
At home
The aroma of eucalyptus oil or freshly ground dry leaves of this plant helps get rid of unpleasant odors in the house. In addition, harmful insects, including mosquitoes, also do not like this smell. And for those who like to take a steam bath, a eucalyptus broom will bring double pleasure and benefit.
In cosmetology
Eucalyptus is used to care for problematic and oily facial skin, treat herpes or other acne due to its antibacterial properties. A decoction of eucalyptus leaves is frozen in portions and the skin prone to rashes is rubbed with this ice. Eucalyptus contains substances that promote skin cell regeneration. That is why it is added to many creams and masks. It is also successfully used in anti-dandruff shampoos.
Medicinal properties and use in medicine
Acetic acid and wood alcohol are obtained from eucalyptus wood. Eucalyptus wood is valued on the world market. It is a building material used in shipbuilding and is a raw material for the pulp and paper industry; it is also used for the preparation of varnishes and glues. The wood has good strength and does not rot, as well as fungi and insects.
The choice of species depends on factors such as climate, soil and the product to be produced, i.e. firewood and charcoal, cellulose, sleepers, posts, stakes and muri, essential oils, building materials or furniture. A raw material for the pulp and paper industry, eucalyptus is gaining strategic importance as a vegetable fuel as well as a weapon for carbon sequestration. “We talk a lot about cane alcohol, which is just one of many options for reducing environmental damage,” says Professor Gonzalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira from the Institute of Biology at Unicamp.
Excellent for interior decoration and furniture production. Rubber is obtained from some types of eucalyptus trees. When drying, cracks can form in the wood, so problems often arise with this. Already treated wood glues well, bends and holds fastenings well. When eucalyptus wood burns, a large amount of heat is released, so it is used as fuel. In its homeland, eucalyptus wood is widely used.
At the time, the American concern was to study the effects of the atomic bomb on surviving victims. Since nothing was sequenced, it seemed like an impossible proposition, like a ship landing on the sun. This was a good lesson for us, what we lack in this determination and ability to organize the basis of our underdevelopment, the teacher criticizes.
Everything we see around us, including our own clothes, carries a high dose of petrochemicals. The future of the planet lies in replacing petrochemicals with renewable sources, with eucalyptus being an exclusive focus of study. The area under eucalyptus cultivation on the planet is estimated at 18 million hectares, and Brazil grows about 3.5 million hectares with the highest yields in the world.
Sleepers, posts, and supports made of eucalyptus wood are considered durable. In Russia, eucalyptus is known as a medicinal plant. Eucalyptus is used both in medicine and in perfumery. In medicine, they use the species of eucalyptus globulus and ash, which grow on the coast of the Caucasus. Eucalyptus is used against coughs, as an expectorant, taken as tea, or an infusion of leaves; it is included in various preparations. Eucalyptus helps with the flu, helps improve immunity, cleans the air in the house well, and kills all germs. Essential oil is obtained from the leaves of the tree, which is used as a disinfectant.
Eucalyptus, originally from Australia, has more than 600 species and 20 of them are planted in more than 100 countries for energy and industrial purposes. Exotic species in Brazil, they have crossed over and offered enormous genetic variability. But in the first forests planted, there was little knowledge of genetic constitution, and the plants were not the best, explains Pereira.
For the layman, the professor explains that the traditional technique for improving the performance of eucalyptus involves crossing plants with the best genetic content before clones, called “elites,” arrive for planting at scale. Molecular biology techniques can optimize this process by identifying genetic markers associated with characteristics of interest. We took the plants while they were still young, for which we do not yet have performance data, and from the markers we predict those that will produce good plants.
Eucalyptus leaves can be used as an alcohol tincture. For infected wounds, use a decoction of dry or fresh cut leaves. You need to collect leaves in a warm period or in the fall, because that’s when the leaves contain more essential oil. You can dry the leaves outdoors. Also, tincture and oil are used as an anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the throat cavity.
In aromatherapy, eucalyptus essential oils are used as a soothing and relaxing agent; the oil is also used in the composition of many shower gels and balms; it is also taken as a basis for inhalation preparations. Many medicines are prepared from eucalyptus. The oil is used as a pain reliever and helps with burns and redness of the skin. In cosmetology, oil is used to whiten skin, strengthen nails and hair.
A toner containing eucalyptus oil is used to combat blackheads; the oil can also be found in many creams. Eucalyptus decoction helps with intestinal diseases, and tincture helps with infectious diseases and erosions. Eucalyptus-based ointments are good for joint diseases. Eucalyptus is a truly unique tree that does not require much care when grown at home. Just a little care for him and he will become an excellent house doctor for the whole family, because it is not for nothing that in his homeland he is called the “tree of life.”
Eucalyptus is an evergreen tree with about a hundred varieties. The most famous are: rainbow, spherical, large and regal, growing up to 100 meters.
Eucalyptus trees grow in Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. They have the property of accumulating moisture by turning the leaves with their edges towards the sunlight.
The leaves of the eucalyptus tree have high healing properties; they also serve as the only type of food for the Australian marsupial bear, the koala.
Curly pros... Regal uh... Rainbow euca...
How to grow, care and pests and diseases
Eucalyptus is one of the fastest growing trees in nature. It propagates not only by seeds, but also by cuttings.
Small silvery eucalyptus cineria (indoor version) looks very good in bouquets. At home it can also be grown from seeds that are sown in winter. The interesting thing is that they don’t even need to be covered with soil, because they germinate better when there is a lot of light. The main thing is not to over-moisten the seeds, otherwise they may rot.
When the seedlings have 4-5 leaves, they can be transplanted to a permanent place. They can be transplanted outside or into a pot, but then it will need to be replanted every year. Eucalyptus likes loose soil. It is responsive to fertilizers, but this should not be done more than once a month.
Eucalyptus is disease resistant. Those pests that can settle in it (spider mites and shield aphids) are destroyed with special purchased products.
Home care
Eucalyptus globulus (round) is grown at home. In indoor conditions, eucalyptus is a small shrub that needs constant pruning of its leaves. Flowering cannot be seen. For eucalyptus, it is important that it receives a lot of light, preferably direct sunlight. In the summer, before you take the plant out onto the balcony, you must first put it in the shade so that it gets used to watering it as often as possible. Eucalyptus loves fresh air, but the main thing is that there are no drafts. It needs to be watered frequently and abundantly so that the soil in the pot is always moist. For irrigation, it is better to use settled water heated to room temperature. It does not need to be sprayed like other plants; normal air humidity, or even slightly increased, is suitable for it. You can leave a container of water next to the plant. To prevent the tree from growing too tall, the top of the tree trunk must be trimmed; this should be done annually in the spring months. After pruning, the bush will begin to produce young shoots, and for better bushiness, you need to pinch out new shoots.
In forests, water that hits the foliage evaporates, but in eucalyptus plantation areas, most rainfall falls directly into the soil. When eucalyptus is harvested for a tree, its bark, branches and leaves—the parts of the tree that concentrate about 70% of its nutrients—are left in the forest itself, where they decompose. This material forms a thick blanket of organic matter that protects the soil surface from erosion. As they decompose, parts of the trees are incorporated into the ground and their nutrients are used by other eucalyptus trees that grow there.
Preparation and storage
It is best to harvest eucalyptus leaves in September, and you need to choose young leaves, which contain much more essential oils. When harvested industrially, whole branches are cut off using cleavers, and then the leaves are torn off from them by hand. They are dried in special dryers. But at home this is done in the fresh air or in a room with good ventilation. Store in a dark, dry and cool place.
Reproduction
The main method of propagation of eucalyptus is, of course, with seeds. The seeds of the tree are small and ripen in special boxes. Propagating eucalyptus from seeds guarantees results. If you sift at least 10 seeds, 8 of them, with proper care, will definitely sprout.
Another way to propagate a plant is using cuttings. To do this, cut off a small twig from a young shoot and place it in a bowl of water. After the shoot has given roots, it can be planted in the ground. This method is not reliable and the probability of continued development of the cutting is 50%.
