Many of the most amazing creations in the world today are man-made using human intellect. However, certain amazing creations that we can see in the environment around us can be described as even more amazing.
The study of any ecosystem in any country can identify thousands of such creations. Among such creations are many beautiful waterfalls, rivers, mountains and plants. This article is about a unique rainbow-coloured plant native to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, which is called Rainbow Eucalyptus.
The plant, scientifically known as ‘Eucalyptus Deglupta’, is commonly known as ‘Rainbow Eucalyptus’.
Rainforests
It has been identified by ecologists as endemic to the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is said to be the only eucalyptus plant that grows in association with rainforests. The rainbow eucalyptus is one of four species of eucalyptus not found in Australia, where the many varieties of eucalyptus can be seen.
This is a plant that usually grows to a height of 60-75 metres. The trunk of this well grown plant is about 250 centimetres in diameter. The bark of the trunk is coloured with light orange, green, red, purple, gray and brown. The leaves are located at the upper end of the branches. The leaves of a well-grown rainbow eucalyptus plant are 75-150 millimetres long and 50-75 mm wide.
Flowers can be seen in clusters at the ends of the branches. The flowers of this plant are light green and cream in colour. The timing of flowering varies depending on the area where the plant is located. The pollen at the tip of the flower is white or pale yellow.
The plant was first identified by the German botanist Karl Ludwig Bloom in his book titled ‘Museum Botanicum Lugduno-Batavum sive stirpium Exoticarum)’.
Before writing the book, he collected information about this plant while roaming the forests of the Indonesian island of Celebes. He called the plant ‘Eucalyptus Deglupta’ in his book.
Botanist
Decades later, the American botanist Adolf Daniel Edward Elmer mentioned the plant in a 1914 book. There he changed the name used in the Philippines to ‘Eucalyptus Binacag’.
However, Adolf’s name is used as a synonym for the Rainbow Eucalyptus Plant, as the name ‘Eucalyptus Deglupta’ was already used to refer to it.
The plant was also studied by Asa Gray, a renowned 19th-century botanist, and many other experts.
Rainbow eucalyptus is abundant in rainforests up to 1,800 metres above sea level. As mentioned above, the plant is endemic to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, but is now cultivated in many other countries such as the United States.
However, Rainbow Eucalyptus plants grown in various states of the United States are shorter in height than the average Rainbow Eucalyptus.
Seed propagated Rainbow Eucalyptus requires a temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius to grow. The plant can also be propagated by cuttings of plants younger than five years of age.
Fertile soil and sunlight are essential for the growth of the plant. Plants grown in botanical gardens and Rainbow Eucalyptus plants grown in natural rainforests show a clear change in the colour of the bark.
Many countries now cultivate rainbow eucalyptus on a large scale. Various parts of this plant are used to make the pulp needed for paper production.
Production
The Rainbow Eucalyptus is one of the most important plants used in the manufacture of white paper.
Rainbow Eucalyptus is the most widely grown plant for paper production in the Philippines. In addition, the plants have been planted for gardening purposes as well. These plants are grown in gardens in the States of Hawaii and several other States in the United States.