Eucalyptus deglupta
Eucalyptus deglupta
Safety & Hazards
Citronellal, an essential oil found in most Eucalyptus species is reported to be mutagenic when used in isolation[1]. In large doses, oil of eucalyptus, like so many essential oils has caused fatalities from intestinal irritation[1]. Death is reported from ingestion of 4 - 24 ml of essential oils, but recoveries are also reported for the same amount[1]. Symptoms include gastroenteric burning and irritation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, oxygen deficiency, ,weakness, dizziness, stupor, difficult respiration, delirium, paralysis, convulsions, and death, usually due to respiratory failure[1].
Cultivation Details
This is the only species of Eucalyptus that is adapted to lowland and lower montane rainforest habitats in the humid tropics[2]. It does not grow naturally in areas with a pronounced dry season but occurs in those where the annual rainfall is very high and the monthly rainfall usually exceeds 150 mm[2]. It is found at elevations from sea level to 1,800 metres in areas where the mean annual temperature is in the range 23 - 31°c and the mean annual rainfall is 2,500 - 5,000 mm[2]. Plants are intolerant of frost[2]. Requires a sunny position with full overhead light[2]. Best growth occurs on deep, moderately fertile, well-drained, sandy alluvial loams with adequate soil moisture[2]. Plants can grow successfully on coarse-textured sands and loamy soils, volcanic ash and limestone-derived soils[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.5[2]. The tree does not withstand prolonged flooding[2]. The tree is highly sensitive to fires[2]. Flowering may occur within the 1st year but more often it takes place after 2 years and annually thereafter[2]. Flowering can occur in all months of the year, depending on the locality[2]. The seeds are often dispersed by rivers. The flooding rivers in the wet season deposit the seeds mixed with humus on uncolonized alluvium in full sunlight. This constitutes ideal conditions for germination[2]. Growth is usually rapid, the annual volume increment in plantations is 15 cubic m/ha, but occasionally it is as much as 50 cubic m/ha. At the age of 25 years, the trees reach an average height of 42 metres and an average bole diameter of 40 cm[2]. The tree does not coppice vigorously[2]. Eucalyptus species have not adopted a deciduous habit and continue to grow until it is too cold for them to do so. This makes them more susceptible to damage from sudden cold snaps. If temperature fluctuations are more gradual, as in a woodland for example, the plants have the opportunity to stop growing and become dormant, thus making them more cold resistant. A deep mulch around the roots to prevent the soil from freezing also helps the trees to survive cold conditions. The members of this genus are remarkably adaptable however, there can be a dramatic increase in the hardiness of subsequent generations from the seed of survivors growing in temperate zones[3]. Eucalyptus monocultures are an environmental disaster, they are voracious, allelopathic and encourage the worst possible attitudes to land use and conservation[3].
Propagation
Seed - surface sow in a sunny position and make sure the compost is not allowed to dry out[4, 5, 6]. Species that come from high altitudes appreciate 6 - 8 weeks cold stratification at 2°c[3]. Seeds germinate in 4 - 20 days with a germination rate of 50 - 60%[2]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as the second set of seed leaves has developed, if left longer than this they might not move well. The seedlings are ready for planting in the field when they are 25 - 30 cm tall, usually after 3 - 4 months. The seed has a long viability[3]. Vegetative propagation is possible from branch cuttings taken from trees less than 2 years old. Best results are obtained from cuttings containing a stem node and a segment of a leaf. Hormones such as indole-acetic acid, indole-butyric acid or nephthalene acid will improve the success rate[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Eucalyptus+deglupta>
Pollinators
Bees, Insects
References
- [1]Handbook of Energy Crops — Duke. J. · - · 1983 · https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html · ISBN - ↩︎Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
- [2]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
- [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [4]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [5]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
- [6]Growing from Seed. Volume 2. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1988 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
- [7]Eucalypts for Planting — Jacobs M.R. · FAO; Rome · 1981 · http://www.fao.org · ISBN 92-5-100570-2 ↩︎An excellent publication, rather dated now but with a wealth of information about the Eucalypts. It can be downloaded from the Internet as a PDF file.
- [8]Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607. — Chudnoff. Martin. · USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin. · 1984 ↩︎Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.