Eucalyptus is a huge tree which, when grown at home, does not exceed 2 m in height. In the world, eucalyptus is used in the production of eucalyptus oil. In potted cultivation, you can pick the leaves of the plant and prepare them to help in rheumatism. Find out what it looks like to grow eucalyptus at home, whether the frost-resistant eucalyptus gunni can grow in the garden and whether it is possible to reproduce eucalyptus in our conditions.
Eucalyptus forms spherical flowers with growing clumps of stamens
Eucalyptus - description
Eucalyptusis a fairly fast growing evergreen tree native to Australia and Tasmania. Today, however, eucalyptus is grown in many parts of the world where winters are mild enough, including on plantations in Africa, South America and Asia. These trees can reach a height of several dozen meters. They owe their unique appearance to their light, loose crowns, full of interestingly twisted branches.
The trunks of these trees also look very interesting. Well, on plants 5 years old and older, the bark begins to peel, revealing strange, creamy patches. Against the background of a much darker, brown, mature bark, these patches look amazing.
In young plants, leaves up to 4 cm in length are oval or round and obliquely arranged, usually with a bluish-green or silvery coating. Twigs with young leaves are often used in flower bouquets (cut in winter, they stay fresh in the water for up to 3 weeks).Ripe leaves, as a rule, are twisted, pendulous, in a lighter shade of gray. They have the ability to line up with the incidence of sunlight, thus avoiding excessive evaporation and overheating. This makes the eucalyptus leaves almost completely silent!Trees over 10 years old start to show flowers (unfortunately only in plants grown in natural conditions). In summer, during the flowering period, we can admire the heads or umbels of small cream flowers with growing clumps of stamens. The flowers develop hard-shelled, pitcher-shaped seed bags, reaching a length of 5 to 10 mm. Initially, the bolls are green. They turn brown as they mature.
Eucalyptus - the bark starts to peel on older trees
Eucalyptus - application
The leaves produceeucalyptus oil , widely used in medicine (inhalations for asthma and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, as well as a component of ointments against rheumatic pains).Eucalyptus leaves are also a delicacy for koala bears. The koalas digestive system can only digest the leaves of selected eucalyptus species. An adult eats from 0.5 to 1 kg of leaves daily. Interestingly, koalas do not drink water. They get all the minerals they need from the juicy eucalyptus leaves.
As you can see, eucalyptus is therefore used to eating it from the leaves. Therefore, also at home it is possibleto use eucalyptusfor medicinal purposes. By growing eucalyptus at home, we can pick young, fresh leaves from it and prepare pickles to help fight rheumatic pains (pour alcohol on the leaves and leave them soaked for 2 to 3 months, then rub the rheumatism areas with the liquid). In plants that are topped with leaves, the bark will peel off, just like in natural trees.
Can eucalyptus grow in the garden?
Well, in the Polish climate, eucalyptus is mainly used as plants grown in containers placed on terraces or balconies in summer, and hidden in frost-protected rooms in winter.In fact, some species withstand frosts down to -20 ° C, hence the most frost-resistanteucalyptus gunniis of great interest, but I do not advise you to risk growing eucalyptus in your garden. The main problem is the sensitivity of eucalyptus not so much to frost itself, but to frosty winds.
Overgrowthhome-grown eucalyptuswe do not have to worry, because properly cut eucalyptus in cultivation potted plants are only 1 to 2 meters high. Grown at home, they will be a source of a pleasant eucalyptus scent.
Eucalyptus gunni and other interesting species
Eucalyptus globulus(Eucalyptus globulus) is a tree that forms a dense crown, with heavy branches and blue-green, slightly silvery leaves. It blooms white in late summer and autumn. It is found quite often in greenhouses. Annual plants are usually sold.
Eucalyptus Gunni(Eucalyptus gunnii) is one of the most frost-resistant eucalyptus.They are lanky, slender trees with spacious crowns. It can be grown in the form of a bush.Eucalyptus gunniproperly pruned, it covers young, round, blue-gray leaves. It is this blue color of the leaves that is the main attraction of this species. It is also distinguished by the lack of the typical eucalyptus smell (which can be an advantage for people who do not like this smell). This species grows quite quickly - it can grow even by 1 meter in a year.
Snowy eucalyptus(Eucalyptus pauciflora) is a slender, erect tree with chalky white bark. Branches turn red and are covered with gray-green leaves. The niphophila subspecies is more frost-resistant and its bark has an attractive shine. It can take overlapping forms.
Eucalyptus - its leaves are koala's favorite food
Growing eucalyptus at home
Cultivation of eucalyptusshould be carried out in containers that can be placed in the garden or on the terrace in summer (displaying has a positive effect on the condition of the plants).The soil in the container should be alkaline and well drained. To ensure the substrate's permeability, sand or perlite are added. Water abundantly during the eucalyptus growing season (but let the substrate dry between waterings). We use liquid fertilizer every two weeks. The growing position should be sunny. In the off-season, we limit watering. It is also recommended to lower the ambient temperature to about 10 ° C.
How to prune eucalyptus?
In pot growing, an appropriateeucalyptus cutplays an important role in correcting excessive plant growth so that the plant is not too large for home growing. A small tree with a short trunk and slender twigs with young leaves is obtained by pruning a one-year-old plant 80 cm above the ground. Then we make corrective cuts every year in early spring (before the start of the growth period).
Eucalyptus propagation
As I mentioned, home-grown eucalyptus does not usually bloom, so they also do not form seed pods. The most popular way to start growing eucalyptus is therefore by importing seeds.
Eucalyptus seedsare best sown in spring (sown in winter require lighting with plant lamps). Place the seeds in a pot filled with moist, well-drained soil, and then cover with a thin layer of soil. At room temperature, seeds should germinate within 3 months of planting. Around mid-summer, when the seedlings reach 10 cm in height, you can plant them (we do this very carefully so as not to damage the roots).
Note!Seeds of some eucalyptus may require stratification before sowing, i.e. freezing (e.g. in a refrigerator). When purchasing seeds, make sure this treatment is necessary.
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