Mindanao Gum

Mindanao Gum, also known as Rainbow Eucalyptus, is a tropical tree easily identified by its colourful bark, mostly orange, green and purple patches with a few yellow, red and blue patches in between.

• Can be difficult to maintain (grey)

• Can be difficult to collect seeds (yellow)

Maintainance & Growth:

• It will take 2-3 weeks to germinate

• The plant requires full sun and thrives in wetter soil, but waterlogging the soil for too long may lead to root rot

• Planting zones 9-11

• Seeds should be planted shallow spaced 12-18" apart

• The tree can be potted in a large planter but will thrive better out of one and will reach a height of 100'

• Trees younger than 5 years old can have cuttings used to grow more trees, any older and the tree produces proteins that inhibit this ability

Bonsai:

• When you bonsai a tree or shrub you inhibit growth and produce a dwarfed version of the plant that can be kept indoors

• A sturdy pot with plenty of exposure will be needed 

• Allow the tree to grow into a desired size and shape before transferring to its final pot

  • the tree may take a few months to reach the desired size

  • to shape the tree, use a strong wire to form bends and twists

• when the tree has reached its desired size, gently remove it from the soil, clean the roots, and transfer it to the new pot

• Make sure that there are no significant air pockets in the soil as this can lead to death of the young roots

Seed Collecting:

• The first bloom should appear after 300 days, but flowering seasons may vary

• The fruit will form after a few weeks and fall

• Dry the fruit and break open to collect the seeds

Facts:

• Australia is home to 700 different gum trees but E deglupta is one of 7 species exclusively not in Australia

• They were brought to the US in the 1940s as part of botanical gardens

• It is the main tree species in the Philippine paper industry

• It was given the name E deglupta in 1850 due to its bark's ability to peel off as it grows, but later botanists would name the plant E binacag, E multiflora, E naudiana, E sarassa, E schlechteri, E versicolor, and E binacag.

References:

Eucalyptus deglupta / eucalyptus multiflora - rainbow eucalyptus, Mindanao gum, Rainbow Gum. Ouriques Farm. (2023, March 27). Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.ouriquesfarm.com/store/seeds/trees/eucalyptus/rainbow-eucalyptus-mindanao-gum-rainbow-gum/ 

SanSone, A. E. (2021, November 1). These tips will help you grow eucalyptus plants like a garden pro. Country Living. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/a36202723/eucalyptus-plants/

wikiHow. (n.d.). How to start a bonsai tree (with pictures). wikiHow. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Bonsai-Tree 

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, March 27). Eucalyptus deglupta. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptus_deglupta 

(n.d.). Tips on searching the web archive. library of Congress. The Library of Congress. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.loc.gov/programs/web-archiving/for-researchers/searching-the-web-archive/ 

Eucalyptus deglupta Blume: Plants of the World Online: Kew Science. Plants of the World Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:592872-1#synonyms