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Which plant is called a tree pumping its bark. Plants for draining the soil of the site. And now about those plants that are ideal for draining a personal plot.

Eucalyptus - the Latin name Eucalyptus - is a tall, fast-growing species of trees and shrubs. The homeland of the green giants of the plant world is the smallest continent - Australia and the islands closest to the mainland. Europeans brought the evergreen eucalyptus (tree) to France in the middle of the 19th century for growing in gardens, and dwarf forms in greenhouses. Since then, these green skyscrapers, natural pumps and a thunderstorm of microbes have spread around the world.

Plant that changes skin

On Earth, there are not many representatives of the flora that are freed from the bark on their own. The Russian writer V. Soloukhin was struck by this fact when he was vacationing in the Caucasus. He remarked that the eucalyptus is a tree "forever rejuvenating". also capable of shedding the bark on its own. For this feature, the tree is popularly called "shameless".

Powerful and durable trunks, healing essential oil, leaves that do not shed eucalyptus (tree) are widely used. The description of this includes many interesting details. For example, the outer layer of the crust crumbles in March, when autumn sets in in the southern hemisphere. Then the trunks and branches of eucalyptus trees become gray, greenish, yellow, sometimes bluish.

Description of eucalyptus

The leaves of the tree are opposite and alternate, and their size depends on age. The main features of the leaf apparatus are the integral form of the plate, the presence of intercellular glands with essential oil. Mature leaves are lanceolate, with a pointed tip. The length is 12 cm, width - 2.5 cm. At a young age, they have a more pronounced silver tint, rounded or

Eucalyptus is a tree that does not give shade, because the leaf blades turn edge towards the sun. White flowers - bisexual, collected in umbellate or paniculate inflorescences, there are also single ones. The sepals fuse with the ovary, and the petals become woody, resulting in the formation of a fruit - a box with a lid. Inside are small seeds that spill out when the valves open.

Genus "Eucalyptus"

Flowering evergreen trees and shrubs belong to the myrtle family. In Australia, in the last century, 90% of natural plantations were eucalyptus forests. There are about 700 species that unite the genus Eucalyptus, most of them come from Australia, only 15 owe their origin to the islands of Oceania.

For more than 100 years, eucalyptus (tree) has been cultivated in tropical and temperate latitudes, in Africa and America. Several heat-loving species that are grown in the Mediterranean, the United States, Brazil, the Middle East, and China have become widespread. Eucalyptus includes:

  • rod-shaped;
  • almond;
  • ball;
  • ashen.

They do not have a strong aroma, but they attract bees. These nectar and pollen collectors in Australia prefer eucalyptus. Essential oils of different types of eucalyptus are used in alternative and official medicine, used in perfumery, cosmetology. The leaves of these amazing Australian plants also have medicinal properties.

Eucalyptus is the tallest tree in the world

Trees are characterized by rapid, rapid growth. You can find quite large specimens that have reached only ten years of age. Here are some amazing facts:

  • almond eucalyptus already in the first few years of life grows up to 3 m with a trunk thickness of up to 6 cm;
  • trees under natural conditions can have a height of 12 m in 5 years, a thickness of up to 20 cm, old specimens are known with a height of more than 150 m (30 m reaches such a girth;
  • the height (eucalyptus) of the trunk at the age of 20 is usually 30-40 m;
  • genetically modified trees reach 27-30 m in height by 5-6 years.

The famous Russian naturalist writer K. Paustovsky compared eucalyptus and conifers. It turns out that at the age of five, this amazing plant produces more wood than spruce or fir at the age of 120 years.

The benefits of a "green skyscraper"

The height of a eucalyptus tree at 20 years old is the size of a 15-storey building. Fully mature and ready for industrial felling planting at the age of 25-30 years. By the age of 40, trees can be taller and thicker than bicentennial oaks. From eucalyptus get paper, cardboard. World famous for its hard and durable wood, comparable in quality to black walnut. It almost does not rot, sinks in water, repels wood-boring insects.

Eucalyptus trunks are used where the durability of the material is needed. Piles of straight and smooth trees will stand in sea water for two decades without signs of decay. Wood of different species is unequally colored, differs in texture. Yellow, olive, white and reddish tones predominate, which are especially appreciated in the furniture industry and building decoration.

transgenic trees

It is difficult to light eucalyptus wood, but the coal obtained from it is of high quality. Biotechnology departments of industrial companies have created genetically modified specimens that grow 40% faster even in dense plantings, produce more wood and coal. Plantations of transgenic plants - eucalyptus, pine, poplar, papaya and other fruits, rapeseed, soybeans, vegetables - occupy more and more space on Earth. Their experimental cultivation has been carried out since the 1980s in different countries. With the help of these plants, food and raw material problems can be solved, and the ever-increasing world demand for energy can be satisfied.

For more than 10 years, Israeli biotechnologists have been studying the possibilities of industrial cultivation of GMO trees of eucalyptus and poplar. The mass introduction of such commercial plantings is restrained only by laws in the field of biological safety. They regulate the scope of circulation of transgenic products, but are not accepted in all countries.

The consequences of the introduction of GMOs have not been sufficiently studied, but it is already clear that transgenic eucalyptus trees are more resistant to pests and can have an unaccounted impact on the soil and living organisms. Possible impacts are related to in ecosystems. Eucalyptus and poplar spread pollen over a wide area, live for decades, so the harmful effects last longer.

What can be dangerous modified eucalyptus (tree)? Where a transgenic specimen grows, surrounded by natural forms, their mutual cross-pollination can occur. This, according to experts in the field of biological safety, is fraught with uncontrollable consequences. Nightmarish scenes from science fiction films can come true when shoots grow at incredible speed and break through walls.

Eucalyptus in landscape design

The evergreen plant has excellent windproof properties, drains damp soils. Eucalyptus roots are able to absorb an unusually large volume of water, which is why the tree is called the "green pump". A landscape architect will name many other valuable features that eucalyptus has.

The tree at home is grown more and more often, it is unpretentious, requires minimal care. More time and care will be needed to form the bonsai with pruning and the main shoot. In landscape design, eucalyptus is suitable for stabilizing soil on slopes, escarpments and waterfronts to prevent erosion. The plant prefers moist but well-drained sandy loamy soils (pH value - from neutral to slightly acidic).

Healing properties of eucalyptus

Australian hospitals have long hung eucalyptus branches to disinfect the air. Phytoncides secreted by the plant have an antiseptic and soothing effect. An infusion of leaves is used in folk medicine as an expectorant, disinfectant and anti-inflammatory agent. Infected wounds are washed with 15% decoction of eucalyptus leaves (previously sterilized).

Eucalyptus oil

The most suitable for treatment is the essential oil obtained from the type of eucalyptus ball (ball). As a medicinal raw material, only the old leaves of the plant are suitable. They are harvested in summer and autumn, when the percentage of oil rises. Both fresh and dried leaves can be subjected to extraction to obtain volatile aromatic substances. Eucalyptus oil is a colorless, yellow or greenish liquid with a pleasant smell. This leaf processing product perfectly refreshes the air, saturates it with a useful and pleasant aroma. Eucalyptol, which is part of the oil, has an antiseptic and expectorant effect, helps with diseases of the mouth and throat. It is used in sprays and lozenges for sore throat, flu.

For growing eucalyptus in a room, it is better to use seeds of relatively undersized species, place seedlings and seedlings in a small bowl. It will require annual transshipment or transplantation, intense sunlight and good moisture.

The fragrant leaves of each type of eucalyptus have their own aroma, which combines notes of lemon, rose, violet, lilac. Most of all, the smell of oil resembles laurel, turpentine, camphor. In rooms where eucalyptus is grown, trees delight the eye with elegant and useful foliage, purify the air with phytoncides.

Last year I went with my boyfriend to rest in. We just rented an apartment, so there was no all-inclusive. But we explored the entire Black Sea coast, where only an electric train could take us. We even got to. But most of all I remember the Sochi arboretum. Especially the cable car! A unique feeling when you "float" over the raging green sea. It was there for the first time in my life that I saw a huge live eucalyptus, not his nasty gargle.

Australian eucalyptus - natural pump

He hails from Australia, but as I said, these trees (imported) can also be found in our native lands, near our closest neighbors in Abkhazia or in distant France, Africa and America. In general, wherever it is warm and swampy enough, because it is precisely for the high water consumption that this tree is called the "natural pump" (one eucalyptus is capable of evaporating up to 180 liters of water per day). The evergreen eucalyptus myrtle family and can reach 150 meters high. Its Latin name "Eucalyptus" translates as "well hidden" - this is because the buds are completely hidden in green "capsules" until the very beginning of flowering. And from the eucalyptus, the bark regularly falls off in such tatters, and the tree looks like a huge cat has sharpened its claws on it.

Application

Eucalyptus trees have found application not only in draining the area. Due to the fact that they have dense, durable wood, this type of wood is used in shipbuilding, for the manufacture of sleepers and beams and other products that require increased strength. Eucalyptus leaves contain a large amount of essential oils (up to 5%), which determines its antiseptic properties. Most for use in medical The following types are suitable for purposes:

  • eucalyptus spherical (Eucalyptus globulus);
  • ash eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea);
  • eucalyptus rod-shaped (Eucalyptus viminalis).

Due to such a high content of active substances, the tree poisonously for all kinds of animals. Only koalas able to feed on eucalyptus leaves, their digestion and metabolism processes are slow, it is this delay that allows their body to cope with the "poison".

And also - this is the first tree that I managed to smell at a distance of several meters. It was not the flowers that smelled, as happens with poles, but the whole tree!

The tallest trees!

  • "Eucalyptus"
    Green "skyscrapers" that reach 100 meters in height with a trunk over 30 meters thick - these are eucalyptus, evergreen trees. An interesting feature of eucalyptus trees is that they do not shed their leaves, but the bark, after which their trunk acquires a light yellow or blue color and becomes smooth and shiny. This huge tree is native to Australia.

    "Eucalyptus" from the Greek language is translated as "I cover well", which is not true, since the trees of this species do not shade the area around them at all. This is due to the fact that the eucalyptus has a specific arrangement of leaves, they are turned to the sun not by the surface, as we are used to seeing, but by the edge, so the sun's rays freely pass through the eucalyptus leaves and no shadow is formed.

    Eucalyptus trees grow very quickly, in the first year of their life they reach 3 meters in height. For 20 years, one hectare of eucalyptus forest yields 800 cubic meters. m. wood. No other tree can produce so much material even in 140 years. Thanks to this feature, eucalyptus trees are very useful trees, in addition, their wood is very strong and durable. Therefore, it is used for the construction of ships, dams, furniture, houses. In addition, eucalyptus wood almost never rots. Another positive property of this tree is that it is almost impossible to light it, at the same time, the charcoal extracted from it burns very well. Most species of eucalyptus (and there are more than 300 in total) have tannins for leather processing.

    In medicine, valuable essential oil extracted from the eucalyptus tree is widely used. By the way, eucalyptus leaves contain a lot of it. It is also used to make ointments, varnishes, soaps and perfumes.

    Eucalyptus grows in moist soil near lakes, rivers, and seashores. The inhabitants of Australia say: "If you see tall trees with blue trunks, then there must be a river bed near them." Eucalyptus is sometimes referred to as the pump tree because of its ability to drain the soil. The root system of this plant absorbs a lot of moisture from the soil, which then evaporates through the leaves. By drying up swamps, eucalyptus destroys malarial mosquitoes, which brings extraordinary benefits to people. It is thanks to this property that eucalyptus trees are now planted in different countries of the world. Land freed from swamps, people use to grow crops.

  • Sequoia
    Coniferous trees of North America - sequoias, just like eucalyptus reach from above 100 meters in height, but at the same time their trunks are thicker - 45 meters. These trees have been growing on Earth since the pre-glacial period. On average, their age is 3-4 thousand years. All large sequoia specimens are protected by law, they are even given names, such as "General Sherman" and "Abraham Lincoln".

    The history of the name of the sequoia tree is quite interesting. This large tree was first called the California pine or mammoth tree, as the ends of the branches bent up, resembled the fangs of mammoths. In 1859, the Swedish botanist Linnaeus decided to name this huge tree in honor of the English commander Wellington. The new name "Wellingtonia Huge" did not exist for long. The Americans decided that such a significant plant should bear the name of their national hero - George Washington. After that, the tree was called "huge Washington".

    Disputes over how best to name this tree did not subside. After some time, it nevertheless got its name - Sequoia, in honor of the leader of one of the Indian tribes - Sequoia, it was he who led the liberation struggle against foreign invaders for many years. Some people still call this tree "mammoth".

Well, what other tree, if not wonderful, could be born on the amazing land of the Green Continent. Eucalyptus has now settled all over the world, but nowhere is it loved as much as at home.

Well, what other tree, if not wonderful, could be born on the amazing land of the Green Continent. Eucalyptus has now settled all over the world, but nowhere is it loved as much as at home. Koalas, of course, have special feelings for him, which do not take anything else but the leaves of this pump tree in their mouths. It is both food and water for them.

These trees are called pumps for their exceptional ability to absorb moisture - they not only consume it in large quantities, but also evaporate it. An adult tree can “suck” and evaporate more than 300 liters of water per day (for comparison, birch is only 40). Therefore, eucalyptus trees are often planted in swampy areas for drainage. And then something useful can be made from wood.


Eucalyptus wood is wonderful - dense, smooth, resinous and heavy (heavier than water), almost does not rot. Sheathing for ships, supports for bridges, handles of carpentry tools are often made from it. Excellent paper is obtained from the bark.


But you won’t wait for the shadow from the miracle tree. Even under the largest representatives (and they are truly gigantic - up to 100 meters in height and up to 20 meters in girth) you can’t hide from the heat - its leaves always turn edge to the sun, apparently, they are afraid of burns. But in such a forest it is light and easy to breathe - the air is filled with the fresh smell of essential oils. And they are known to kill various harmful bacteria. True, for this, the leaves must still be processed, the disinfected air of eucalyptus forests is most likely a myth.


Australians respect eucalyptus for its unusual love of life - frequent fires that occur in the country's dry climate are not able to destroy green spaces. Eucalyptus trees crack in the fire, and after a few days, shoots begin to grow violently from the cracks (the olive was revered by the Greeks for about the same properties). And some botanists claim that in a number of species of eucalyptus, the fruits do not burst unless a fire occurs. That is, they do not just endure fire, they simply need it.


In Australia and Tasmania, there are several hundred species of eucalyptus - scientists have not yet decided how many. According to some sources - 150, in others their number reaches 800. But no matter how many different types of eucalyptus trees grow on the hot land of the Green Continent, they will all enjoy the attention and ardent affection of local residents.

Eucalyptus is an evergreen tree with about a hundred varieties. The most famous are: iridescent, spherical, large and regal, growing up to 100 meters.

Eucalyptus grows in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania. They have the property of retaining moisture by turning the leaves edgewise towards the sunlight.

The leaves of the eucalyptus tree have high healing properties, they also serve as food for the Australian marsupial - the koala.

Description of eucalyptus

These amazing trees have many unusual properties. So on one tree, on different branches, leaves of various shapes grow. On young branches, soft bluish-colored leaves are rounded, covered with a waxy layer. On older branches, the leaves are rigid, oblong in shape. At what these leaves behave in an unusual way. They are always turned edge to the sun. Therefore, it is not surprising that a large tree, it would seem, with a powerful crown, gives little shade. Thanks to this ability, eucalyptus can retain moisture absorbed for a long time. And it takes quite a lot of moisture, it's a real water pump. One such tree can absorb more than 300 liters of moisture during the day. And for the year this water drink drinks more than 100 tons of water. Because of these properties, this tree is often used in land reclamation.


Eucalyptus is an evergreen plant, but once a year it changes its bark. After a hot summer, in March, the bark that has dried up over the summer turns brown, it moves away from the wood of the trunk in bubbles, curls up and falls to the ground in tatters. After that, its trunk becomes smooth and shines with various colors of the rainbow. Depending on the species, after the “corolla”, eucalyptus trunks can be white, green, yellow, blue and red. This species is called rainbow eucalyptus.


Eucalyptus forests are the habitat of very cute animals - the koala. They feed exclusively on the leaves of this tree. It is known that its leaves are quite poisonous, because they contain hydrocyanic acid. But it turns out that this poison has almost no effect on the koala. Then they are specialists in eucalyptus and choose different types of trees in different seasons, at a time when hydrocyanic acid is contained in them in a minimal amount. Well, and then the koala is, in fact, a bear, albeit a marsupial. So he doesn't care.


In the fourth, fifth year of life, eucalyptus blooms. And it blooms very peculiarly. First, a rigid rounded box appears on a separate pedicel, at the end of which there is a bottom. As the box grows, it increases in size and stiffens. Then the bottom falls off and a lush flower tassel appears from the box, consisting of hair stamens. Different species have flowers of different colors: white, yellow, pink and bright red. Flowers have a light pleasant aroma.


After flowering, fruits are formed in place of the flower. In different types of eucalyptus, the fruits differ in shape, but most often they look like small bells, but closed from below. These bells contain seeds. Seeds ripen for a long time, a whole year, but can persist for several years.


Where does eucalyptus grow?

Of the huge number of trees growing on earth, several species are striking in their huge size, their height reaches 100 meters or more. One of these "green giants" can rightfully be considered eucalyptus.

This interesting plant is native to Australia. At home, this evergreen tree has more than a hundred varieties. Australia is a large continent and it has almost all climatic zones, and each zone has its own eucalyptus trees.

This is a low-growing shrub that grows in the arid climate of the desert regions of Central Australia, these are gnarled, unsightly-looking trees in the mountainous regions, this is a huge, regal and spherical eucalyptus species of great height that can only live in the humid climate of the subtropics. These majestic trees, with ideally even trunks and luxurious crowns, are truly a miracle of nature.


Eucalyptus is a very fast growing tree. In one year alone, this tree grows almost 5 meters. Moreover, it grows both in height and in breadth. Of course, it is difficult for eucalyptus to compete in height with the American sequoia, the largest tree on earth today. In California, USA. a sequoia grows with the name Hyperion, whose height, according to 2006, is 115.61 m. But nevertheless, in Australian Tasmania there is a eucalyptus whose height is 92 m.


Medicinal properties

People have long noticed that it is very easy to breathe in eucalyptus forests. This is due to the fact that eucalyptus leaves emit volatile phytoncides, a kind of volatile antibiotics that consist of organic substances with a strong antimicrobial effect. Phytoncides secreted by the leaves have a beneficial effect primarily on the respiratory system, they give people vigor and health. Empirically, it was found that the main components with healing properties are essential oils contained in the leaves and young shoots. These medicinal properties began to be actively used and now eucalyptus oil is used as part of various medicines such as: pectusin, ingalipt, efkamon, ingacamf, as well as various aerosols and cough tablets. In addition, the leaves are harvested and sold in pharmacies for the preparation of tinctures and decoctions at home. There is probably no such person who would not experience the healing properties of eucalyptus inhalation for colds.


Quite often, eucalyptus brooms are used for colds in baths. This is a very effective tool that helps very often at once. For sore throat or runny nose, it is enough to hold a steamed broom near your face and breathe through your nose for 4-5 minutes. Quilting with such a broom is not very convenient, the leaves are long and the branches are thin. It is better to weave eucalyptus branches into a birch or oak broom.


Although it has been proven in practice that eucalyptus preparations have practically no side effects and contraindications, in some cases allergic reactions or individual hypersensitivity may occur. Very rarely, skin irritation may occur when applied topically.

Therefore, before starting treatment, it is better to check individual sensitivity to this remedy. In addition, it is not advisable to use eucalyptus preparations inside children under the age of 2 years, as well as adults with impaired renal and hepatic functions, with bronchial asthma, and bronchospasm. It is better to refrain from using them for children with whooping cough. During pregnancy, these drugs should be used with extreme caution. It is advisable to consult an aromatherapist first.


Essential eucalyptus oils are very widely used in the perfume industry. They contain in their composition aromatic substances such as: citronellal, limonene and geraniol, which have very pleasant smells. With their help, stable aromas of rose, lemon and many others are easily reproduced. These cosmetics are absolutely harmless and constantly enjoy great popularity. Detergents: Soaps, scrubs, shampoos, gels with eucalyptus extract are an excellent remedy for many scalp problems. And shampoo-creams with a detox effect practically cleanse the hair of any contaminants, up to tobacco smoke.



You can often hear the question: Is it possible to grow eucalyptus at home? Why not?

Eucalyptus trees propagate by seeds that are naturally dispersed by the wind. But for many years they have been grown not just anywhere, but where a person needs it. These are mostly resort areas. And not only in Australia, but in many countries of the world. Artificially planted eucalyptus groves create an excellent health-improving environment. And in combination with the sea air, staying in such places gives the maximum healing effect for vacationers. Such groves can be successfully used for other purposes. For example, in Israel, several such artificial forests were planted to protect against frequent artillery attacks from Palestine. They grew very quickly and became a real green protective wall.


Well, at home, in our climatic zone, eucalyptus trees are grown mainly in winter gardens, in extreme cases, just in a large pot like any other home plants. Usually in any flower shops you can buy either seeds or ready-made seedlings. By transplanting them into flowerpots, you can create a real paradise with a healing bias in your apartment or house.


Thanks to the emitted phytoncides, your home will always have the cleanest healing air, and fresh eucalyptus leaves will always be at hand, which can be useful for rinsing or inhalation. In addition, neither flies nor ants tolerate the smell of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus growing in the house does not require special care, and it looks quite nice.