Very few people are fortunate enough to see one of these beauties up close and personal...in fact, unless you've ventured to the right tropical location, chances are you've only seen them in books...or in blog posts like this one!
These magnificent beasts are called Eucalyptus deglupta! They are more commonly referred to as "Rainbow Eucalyptus." These are the only species of eucalyptus that grow north of the equator. You can find them roaming through the forests and jungles of Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippine Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, south Florida, south Texas, and southern California.
In their native environment, these trees can grow almost as tall as Sequoia and Redwoods, topping out at around 250 feet. The Rainbow Eucalyptus found growing on the U.S. mainland top out at half that, in the neighborhood of 125 feet.
Probably the most mesmerizing feature of the Rainbow Eucalyptus is the tree bark itself...the bark of the tree splits, cracks, and peels off in large strips to reveal new bark below, which is brightly hued with various colors that start out a vibrant, eye-popping green...then, as the new bark ages, it begins to turn blue and purple...and eventually ends up turning red, orange, and yellow...unlike other tree species that shed their bark once annually...the Rainbow Eucalyptus sheds its bark continuously, which is why you can see all the different colors competing for space on the trunk and limbs!
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