Rainbow eucalyptus (eucalyptus deglupta) belongs to the scaly-bark representatives of the genus Myrtle family. This tree has unique properties, differing from closely related species.. Its main feature is a bright, shimmering with many shades of all colors, bark.
Botanical Description
Rainbow eucalyptus is the only species found in the natural environment of the northern hemisphere. Philippines are considered the birthplace of wood. Of those parts, the breed was successfully introduced to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Florida, Cuba, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Honduras, Puerto Rico.
The plant loves moisture, prefers slightly acidic or neutral fertile loose soil, is moderately resistant to cold. Most adult specimens reach 40–50 m. There are also higher ones - up to 75 m. At a young age, eucalyptus grows very rapidly, reaching up to 2.5 m per year. At first, the trees remain quite thin: a 10-meter giant can be no more than 40 cm thick. They begin to sound wide after 20 years. The diameter of old trunks, which is over 70, is from 1.5 to 2 m. Like all related species, the rainbow tree is very resistant to adverse weather conditions, damage and is easily restored by basal shoots even after the destruction of part of the trunk.
Crowns of rainbow eucalyptus carved, not giving a thick shadow. The leaves are bluish-green, leathery, of complex pinnate shape, covered with a thin layer of wax. Their plates in development have several stages. At a young age they are very delicate, rounded, bright green in color. Transitional more elongated and thickened. Adult leaves are narrow, linear, with pointed tips, silver-gray shade.
Unlike other species, this one does not contain glands in the greenery that produce essential oil, and does not have a characteristic pungent aroma.
The flowers of the rainbow eucalyptus are inconspicuous: small, white, collected in small thyroid inflorescences. Fruits - round light green boxes with many small seeds.
Bark
The main feature of the rainbow look, for which the plant got its name - shades of bark. It is quite dense, smooth, has a multilayer structure, unevenly peels off during the life of the tree and falls off with narrow longitudinal plates. Many species have a similar property: for example, plane trees or conifers. But the bark of a rainbow plane tree, depending on age, changes color. Fresh plates are first light green. After a while, under the influence of air and the sun, they darken, becoming emerald. Then the bark sequentially changes color to dark silver, blue, blue, purple, purple, orange, red, raspberry, burgundy. Before exfoliating, the plates are brown-brown. Separating from the trunk, they expose new light green surfaces.
Since the update is uneven, at the same time there are layers of the cortex of different ages, forming a palette of bright transitional shades of the entire color spectrum. It is characteristic that among them there are practically no dull or nondescript. The trees look really fabulous - as if they were painted “under the rainbow” with bright watercolor colors from the bottom to the tops of the trunks. Nobody is able to remain indifferent to this breathtaking natural sight.
Application
Despite the lush flowering of colors on the surface and a unique appearance, rainbow eucalyptus is not a rare breed protected by law. On the contrary, it is in great demand and cut down for industrial needs. Due to the ability of the tree to grow quickly, the area of forest plantations is quite actively renewed. Extensive plantations are allocated for them.
Rainbow eucalyptus wood is a true antagonist to the bark. It refers to the sound - homogeneous, bright, even creamy shade, with scattered small vessels. Trees reach industrial maturity by 20 years.
Fresh material is rather capricious, requires drying in natural conditions, prone to cracking. Finished wood is very dense, in hardness it can compete with oak. It produces furniture, boats, decoration materials, various types of flooring. The main field of application of rainbow eucalyptus is the pulp and paper industry. From this wood produce white paper of excellent quality, technical cotton. The structure of the material is fibrous, it is difficult to handle manually, but the surface is well impregnated with paints, holds varnish, sticks together and grinds. Rainbow eucalyptus is an excellent raw material for turning. Souvenir dishes, picture frames, carved jewelry are made from it.
The spectacular appearance of the trees and the rapid growth allow them to be used for landscaping the streets and creating picturesque landscapes. A powerful root system, like a pump that draws excess water from the soil, is useful for wetlands.
Cultivation and care
Rainbow eucalyptus can be cultivated as a houseplant. Due to the lack of smell, it does not threaten allergies. To sprout a tree is quite easy from seeds. They need to be planted in a mixture of sod land and sand to a depth of 1 cm, daily spraying the soil from the spray gun. Until the shoots appear, the surface can be covered with a piece of plastic bottle, providing greenhouse conditions.
When the seedlings rise to a height of 4-5 cm and produce a few leaves, they are transplanted into separate pots with soil from equal parts of peat, humus and garden soil. Watered after 4 days.
Contain eucalyptus on the bright side - at the southern windows. It is necessary to moisten plants abundantly and regularly, at least three times a week, they can not tolerate a lack of water. To prevent the roots from decaying, a thick layer of expanded clay drainage must be placed at the bottom of the containers.
When young plants reach 10 cm in height, it is recommended to pinch them, otherwise the stems will be excessively long and thin, and the lower leaves will begin to fall off.
Eucalyptus trees must be protected from cold drafts. The optimum temperature for them: + 22–25 ° C, a sharp change of regime is undesirable. In summer, pots can be set outside.
Humidification of indoor air is not required, the greens have enough moisture received from the soil, and the pores in the leaves are too small to evaporate or absorb it.
Eucalyptus need to be fed with complex fertilizers without phosphorus. Make food twice a month, having previously dissolved in water.
It is not necessary to arrange a plant dormant period in winter, this is done only to slow excessive growth. The temperature is gradually reduced to 12 ° C, watered three times less, put the pots in the shade.
To prevent infection with parasites, eucalyptus can be treated with garlic infusion by rubbing them with leaves. Garlic cloves put in a pot protect the tree from the spider mite.
You need to transplant a young eucalyptus annually. His root system develops very quickly, filling the pot and sucking out all the nutrients from the soil.