Rainbow Eucalyptus: Growth and Benefits

The rainbow eucalyptus is considered to be one of the most beautiful trees in the world! Each season as the bark peels off in strips it reveals a trunk covered with a vertical rainbow of red, orange, green, blue and gray streaks. The tree will sometimes emit a smog-like mist of vaporized volatile organic compounds called terpenoids. A forest of eucalyptus will sometimes create an other-worldly like haze during the warm summer months. The fragrance of the tree is pleasant with an clean, earthy aroma that is used in perfumes.

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs indigenous to Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. Along with tender bamboo shoots, eucalyptus is one of the favorite foods of the Koala Bear. It is said that the leaves of the tree makes them high which is why they sleep for 20 hours a day! The rainbow eucalyptus is the only species of this genus indigenous to the northern hemisphere. It grows in frost free parts of the United States such as Hawaii and the Southern portions of California, Texas, and Florida.

If given full sun and moist soil rainbow eucalyptus  will grow fast - up to 3 feet and year. The tree can be huge and grows up to 250 feet tall in its native environment.

The leaves of the tree are steam distilled to extract the oil which has been traditionally used for oral hygiene, respiratory illnesses, coughs, colds, bronchitis, fungal infections, and skin wounds.

The wood of the eucalyptus tree is also commonly used to make didgeridoos, a traditional Australian Aboriginal wind instrument. Energetically, the leaves are used for cleansing.

“When I used to walk through the big Eucalyptus forests, I had trouble preventing myself from leaving my body.” ~Bashistya Shivananta.