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  • Eucalyptus

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    Eucalyptus globulus Lab.

    The homeland of this evergreen tree is Australia, there are several hundred species of eucalyptus, it is found in the wild and in Tasmania. The extensive genus of the eucalyptus includes very high straight-stemmed species( regal and gigantic, growing in humid climates), and undersized bushes that inhabit the deserts of Central Australia. Eucalyptus snow-loving is a clumsy tree living in high-mountain areas of the green continent.

    At home, eucalyptus globular is a real giant, its individual specimens reach a height of 160 m. This is higher than the spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress!

    Everyone is surprised in these unusual trees - both rapid growth, and giant sizes, and smooth trunks - perfectly straight and so thick that several dozen people can freely accommodate in the hollow of the old eucalyptus. For a year the Australian giant adds 5 meters in growth! In the eucalyptus forest there is always the cleanest air with a special aroma, and the trees are as if specially planted at the same distance from each other. In such a forest is always sunny, you will not see a shadow in it. This is due to the fact that the leaves of the eucalyptus are always turned to the sun by the edge, and the sun's rays slip through them. Due to this feature, the leaves do not overheat, do not consume unnecessary moisture, do not evaporate it from the surface of the leaf blade.

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    Eucalyptus is characterized by variegatedness: on the same tree you can see leaves of different shapes. On young shoots they are ovoid, located opposite, at the base heart-shaped;the color of the young leaves is bluish, they are soft, covered with a thick layer of wax. On older branches, approximately to the third-fourth year of life, they become regular, oblong, more rigid, leathery. Typical mature eucalyptus leaves are narrow-lanceolate, sickle-bent, short-cut. It is these leaves and are placed edge to the sun.

    Although the eucalyptus plant is evergreen, in the autumn( for the Southern Hemisphere in March), it "changes the skin".Drying the bark in the hot sun, the bark becomes brown, its upper layer swells with bubbles, curls, and these rags fall to the ground. The trunks after such "koropada" become smooth, slightly greenish or yellow, and sometimes bluish. Very unusual and the wood itself - in different types of wood it can be white, yellow, red, with all kinds of shades and patterns of layers.

    Eucalyptus flowers are rather plain-looking, but very interesting, like all parts of this plant. The bud of the flower is covered by the lignified petals of the perianth, which have grown together, like a lid;when the flower dissolves, this lid falls to the ground, and instead of the unimpressive corolla there is a beautiful fluffy brush of long stamens( they are of different colors - white, pink, bright red, yellow).The tree received its name thanks to this particular feature: from the Greek words "eu" - beautiful and "calip-tos" - closed. This giant begins to blossom in the third-fifth year of life, in the autumn;seeds mature only after 1.5-2 years.

    The fruit of eucalyptus is a kind of tetrahedral box with a cross-shaped hole from the top, similar to a bellskin.

    For medicinal purposes, leaves, young shoots and bark of eucalyptus globose, as well as leaves of eucalyptus ash and rod-like are used. For the production of essential oil, fresh one or three-year-old shoots of eucalyptus with leaves are used. They collect them during the rest period( in October-April).

    After collection, the leaves are dried on shelves in rooms with good ventilation, scattering them with a layer up to 10 cm thick, with intermittent mixing, or in dryers at a temperature of no higher than 40 ° C.

    Broths and infusions, spirits, oil extracts,preparations of the larophyllite, eucatol. Eucalyptus oil is a part of complex medicinal products, for example, inhalipt, inhakamf, efkamona, well-known pectusin, etc. You can find medicinal eucalyptus raw materials in the pharmacy in a variety of forms - as a dry leaf for home preparation of broths and infusions, in the form of tinctures,essential oils, aerosols, tablets, lozenges, cough drops, etc.

    Eucalyptus essential oils obtained for the perfume industry contain strong aromatic substances geraniol, citronellal, limonene and have their ownVarious very pleasant smells - from the lemon flavor to roses.

    Contraindications to the use of eucalyptus preparations

    No harmful side effects were observed with the use of eucalyptus preparations both inside and outside( if the rules of use and dosages were observed).For example, eucalyptus oil does not cause irritation of the renal pelvis even in those suffering from nephritis. And yet, as we have repeatedly warned, with the use of any drug, both synthetic and plant,

    may manifest individual hypersensitivity, allergic reactions. External application may cause skin irritation.

    Before starting treatment with eucalyptus oil and preparations with it, it is necessary to check the individual sensitivity to this agent.

    It is not recommended to take eucalyptus drugs inside children under 2 years old, adults with severe liver and kidney damage. Inhalations are not recommended for those suffering bronchial asthma, bronchospasm and with whooping cough. Treatment with essential oil of eucalyptus, as well as with oils of other aromatic plants, is carried out with great care during pregnancy, consultation of a qualified aromatherapist is needed.

    Is it possible to grow eucalyptus at home

    Yes, you can, many lovers of indoor floriculture do it quite successfully, even in ordinary small apartments. You just need to choose the right kind of eucalyptus. Indoors eucalyptus Gukni( Eucalyptus gunnii) and eucalyptus lemon( Eucalyptus citriodora) are most often grown in enclosed spaces. These are stunted, slowly growing species. Even in natural conditions, at home, adult specimens reach a height of only 1.5 m. With planting material, you will not have problems. In large flower shops it is possible to get both seeds, and ready young seedlings. In your apartment, thanks to phytoncides of eucalyptus there will always be fresh and clean air, and the medicinal raw materials for inhalations and rinses, if necessary, always at hand.

    All kinds of eucalyptus, even giant ones, have very small seeds. They last for a very long time, so the crops, as a rule, always rise. For the sowing, clay pots are prepared, which are filled with light humus soil in a mixture with sand. Seeds are sown over the surface of the moistened earth mix and slightly pressed. The crops are kept at a temperature of about 18 ° C.During the first 3-4 days, watering is not recommended. Shoots usually appear on the 5th-10th day. At this time, one should be especially careful and attentive - young seedlings of eucalypts do not tolerate excessive moistening of soil and air, they require a lot of light. If the room is poorly ventilated, seedlings can become moldy and die.

    When the shoots reach a height of 3-3.5 cm and they have 4 leaves already, they need to be transplanted into vases - 15 cm high and 10 cm in diameter. The roots are not cut off and kept for a long time without planting, otherwise they can dry out.

    After the transplant, give the first sufficient watering, but then again do not water the plants of the day 3-4.In the future, young eucalyptus can be watered every day - so that the soil was

    moist, but not wet.3-4 weeks after they are sufficiently strong, they can be moved to a permanent place of residence, under the direct rays of the sun. For good growth and development, home-grown eucalyptus needs a full daylight, which means that only windows facing south and south-east are suitable.

    Care for adults with trees is simple. In the summer they are watered abundantly, and in the winter, like many other indoor plants, very carefully. It is important not to pour eucalyptus, but not to allow overdrying, otherwise the growing tip of the stem may wither. The optimum temperature for the content is + 16-18 ° C, in winter it can be cooler - + 12-15 ° C.

    From April to August, every 2 weeks, you can give a fertilizer complex fertilizer for indoor plants.

    Eucalyptus is transplanted annually, then every 2-3 years, and the new dishes should not be too large. The soil mixture is prepared from 2 parts of turf, 1 part of leaf, 1 part of peat land and 1 part of sand.

    To our pests and diseases our Australian giant is not very exposed - both in natural conditions and when growing indoors. It is worth remembering, of course, the danger of infection by the most common enemies of indoor plants - a shield aphid and spider mite. Most often these pests are recorded from the side with new plants or cuttings. There are modern drugs to deal with them,