These Gorgeous Eucalyptus Trees Literally Grow Rainbow Bark, And There Are Some in the U.S.
At first glance, you might just think someone got a little carried away and painted those tree barks. Reasonable guess, but what if I told you that those colorful streaks formed naturally? And that these colorful trees are actually real!? Not all bark is brown, my friends, and these multi-colored timbers are here to prove it!
Eucalyptus deglupta trees, also known as "rainbow trees" or "Mindanao gum trees," are tropical evergreens known for their colorful, rainbow-like bark. Every season, these trees shed their old rinds, revealing a new variegated layer of oranges, blues, and greens. It's magical, not to mention beautiful, especially since the tree's shelling will never look exactly the same over the years.
A post shared by Robert Earnest (@robertoearnesto) on May 4, 2017 at 1:33pm PDT
The large evergreens (which can grow up to 250 feet tall) commonly grow in tropical forests in the Philippines, New Guinea, and Indonesia where sunlight and rainfall are ample. However, they can grow in certain parts of the United States with similar conditions, too. Eucalyptus deglupta trees have been spotted in Hawaii and the southern parts of California, Texas, and Florida. However, as the U.S., is not the tree's native environment (and the ones here were planted by seeds brought from other parts of the world), they typically only reach heights of 100 to 125 feet.
Want to find some on your own? The warmer the region, the better your chance of locating one of these brilliant barks. Users on Instagram who shared photos of the trees tagged their locations in Maui and Waimea Valley, Hawaii; Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, Florida; Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida; as well as in parts of the South Bay region of California. Next time we’re in those areas, we’ll be sure to keep our eyes peeled for any rainbow eucalyptus trees.
A post shared by PFLAG MB (@pflag_manhattanbeach) on Feb 4, 2020 at 7:17am PST
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