Trees are the main species of plants that human beings use to decorate homes and areas of the city, due to their great beauty but also because of their peculiar properties, let us know in this article all the characteristics of the Eucalyptus Tree, its use and the care that must be taken for its conservation.
eucalyptus tree
Trees are considered the most important plants for humanity, mainly due to the fact that they carry out one of the most important biochemical processes for life, such as photosynthesis to obtain oxygen, essential for the development of other processes carried out carried out by other beings. In addition to there being a great variety of species that embellish the entire natural environment and complement it with their particular properties.
In this case, the eucalyptus tree should be highlighted, also known as Eucalyptus, which means "well covered" referring to an encapsulated seed, for some specialists it is classified among trees, but others believe that it falls under the classification of shrubs, it belongs to the myrtaceae family, with approximately 700 species, corresponds to a plant native to Australia and New Guinea.
It is currently distributed almost all over the world, being able to adapt to any climate, having rapid growth and normally used for various forest plantations that are usually used for the paper industry, lumber and to obtain other chemical products and mainly for its ornamental value.
Normally it is widely used as an ornamental tree but it can also be used for medicinal purposes, for this reason over time it has been planted in different areas of the world and in addition to its adaptation to different climates it has allowed its diverse growth, in this beneficial way. to industries and individual purposes.
It should be noted that it is a varied tree, some have the appearance of trees and in other cases of bushes, the trees reach up to 10 to 30 meters in height and there are even species of 60 meters, all this is due to being easily adaptable to the different climatic conditions the tree changes its appearance in order to grow favorably. One of the most outstanding species in this case is the eucalyptus regnas It has the widest leaves in the world.
Some of the eucalyptus trees can have a trunk and a small crown despite being tall, in other cases they have a trunk and branches that grow with sufficient distance from the ground and in some cases several small stems are observed, green and smooth. and with pink spots and in the case of mature trunks they are covered with a pale green and brown bark.
Origin and Characteristics
The Eucalyptus tree is an evergreen type, in a nutshell they are durable trees, they are native to Australia and also New Guinea. Belonging to the Eucalyptus genus, it is composed of approximately 700 species and can grow to great heights, although species of thirty meters in height can usually be found. Its trunk is straight and has light brown bark that can be easily peeled off.
The Eucalyptus tree can reach approximately sixty meters in height and stands out for having a very smooth, thin and tall trunk. Once they find the necessary height, they begin to generate shoots for their reproduction. The leaves can be presented by two main types, such as oval young or elongated mature, in both cases they are green, their flowers are classified according to their white inflorescence.
Main Species of Eucalyptus
Plants are classified by various groups and families, due to their great extension throughout the world, various species of the same plant have appeared, which over time have varied due to these being exposed to different climatic conditions, temperatures, soils and other factors. Below are the main species of the Eucalyptus tree:
eucalyptus camaldulensis
It is also known as red eucalyptus. It is a very important tree native to Australia, being observed mainly in hot deserts. This species usually reaches great heights with approximately sixty meters in height, has a fairly thick and spongy bark, has reddish, gray, greenish and white tones.
Eucalyptus deglupta
It is known as the rainbow eucalyptus, it is considered one of the eucalyptus species that attracts the most attention due to its multicolored bark, making it a very distinctive tree, with colors between blue, purple, orange and maroon tones. It is a tree native to New Britain, New Guinea, Seram and Sulawesi. This species of eucalyptus can reach up to 75 meters in height and has an exfoliating bark in the form of ribbons.
Eucalyptus gunnii
Eucalyptus Gunnii is also known as Gunn's eucalyptus or cider eucalyptus, it is a tree native to Tasmania and usually reaches up to 37 meters in height, being relatively medium among all of its species, they can also have a solid trunk and branches that extend in different directions. Its leaves can be elliptical or oval with 8 centimeters long and 3 wide, its colors are between green and blue.
Eucalyptus globulus
Commonly known as white eucalyptus or blue eucalyptus. It is a species native to the southeast of Australia and Tasmania, with approximately 300 species of this genus of Eucalyptus being located, they are characterized by growing very quickly, reaching up to 40 meters in height. Currently they can be found in any region of the world.
Eucalyptus Tree Uses
The trees are characterized by presenting various important characteristics that give them special properties to be used by man, let us know the most relevant of the Eucalyptus tree:
Medicinal use of the Eucalyptus Tree
The eucalyptus tree has an essential oil, which is extracted from the leaves. Widely used for nasal decongestant, to combat colds and also against any respiratory disease. Today, they can be easily found in pills, syrups, among others. In addition, it can be used as a mosquito repellent.
Wood and paper industry
The eucalyptus tree is characterized by its rapid growth and its wood can be used to make small furniture and also for paper. There are even countries like Spain that have a Eucalyptus plantation since the mid-nineteenth century of the species Eucalyptus globulus in Galicia and Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the southwest of the peninsula. As it is a tree that grows very quickly and also prevents others from growing next to them to obtain benefits from its bark in the lumber industry.
Strict care must be taken because intensive plantations can harm the native flora and fauna, as monoculture is practiced it can cause a very low number of pollinators. Also, affected the soil to the point of degrading it and not allowing nutrients. In addition, with the type of bark it has, fires can spread very easily.
Eucalyptus as an ornamental plant
Despite the continuous care that must be presented in eucalyptus crops, the fact that they are one of the main plants used to be present in gardens and interior decorations stands out, for which they have a significant use in an ornamental way, highlighting that They must maintain special care for a good growth of the tree.
Eucalyptus Tree Care
Every species of plant must have exclusive care when planted in a garden or when found in an exhibition area, mainly to maintain its natural conditions, beauty and preserve its life under human care, let us know what are the special conditions for a good Ornamental Eucalyptus Tree Care:
Location
It is advisable to have the plant outside, exposed to the sun. Because their roots are usually very invasive, it is preferable to plant them at a minimum distance of ten meters from walls, pipes, floors, among others, to avoid destroying what is around them.
Earth
The land used to carry out the planting of the eucalyptus tree must have essential conditions according to the type of planting carried out, as highlighted below:
- Garden: it can grow in any type of soil, except those that are permanently wet.
- Pot: It is not recommended to plant in a pot permanently due to its invasive roots. Initially they can be planted there but with a universal substrate.
Irrigation
Water is one of the most important factors when planting a plant, in this case, it is recommended to irrigate 3 or 4 times in the summer season and in the rest of the year between 4 to 5 days.
Subscriber
Being a tree that grows so easily and can adapt to any type of conditions, it does not need a special fertilizer, so it is not a priority.
Pruning
Pruning is a set of techniques applied to maintain the aesthetics of plants and remove those branches that hinder their growth. In this case, we tend to prune dry, diseased, weak or broken branches, normally at the end of winter.
Eucalyptus multiplication
The reproduction of the eucalyptus tree can be carried out through a main procedure that is that of seed, where it multiplies mainly in the spring seasons.
Rusticity
Eucalyptus species tend to resist frost from -3 degrees to -5 degrees, but there are some, such as eucalyptus pauciflora, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus gunnii y Eucalyptus subcrenulataThey resist up to -10 degrees to -20ºC.
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