Technicolor Tree: The Rainbow Eucalyptus

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Its scientific name is Eucalyptus deglupta, but it’s also known as Rainbow Eucalyptus, Rainbow Gum, or Mindanao Gum.

Source: Laurent Martrès

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The tree originated on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, but it’s spread to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and the Hawaiian islands. It grows best in tropical locations, especially near freshwater lakes and ponds.

Source: whimsyj

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Rainbow Eucalypts shed bark in different areas of their trunks throughout the year, which produces a variety of colors. Once the green inner bark is exposed, it turns blue, purple, pink-orange, and then maroon.

Source: Jeff Kubina

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Despite their gorgeous hues, many of these trees are cultivated primarily to produce white paper, and they’re the most-used species for pulpwood in the Philippines.

Source: amelia

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Some people buy the seeds online and grow them for aesthetic purposes. However, one seller Web site cautions that the trees will grow only in rainforestlike environments, citing Florida and Southern California as examples.

Source: null photography

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These trees don’t emit the same fragrant aroma that characterizes other Eucalypts, but their outer beauty makes up for the lack of olfactory experience.

Source: jungle mama

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Source: Laurent Martrès

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Source: heart eats brain

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