Eucalyptus Trees in Mexico
- The rainbow gum tree features vivid bark coloration.tree Rainbow Bark Eucalyptus image by svitdoll from Fotolia.com
Native to Australia, the Philippines and New Guinea, eucalyptus trees are evergreens that belong to the Myrtle family. While there are more than 700 eucalyptus species, only 15 species are found in the Americas. Among these are massive gum trees, known for their unusual peeling bark, which are commonly found in Mexico. They thrive in the country's warm, semiarid environments, and are also common to adjacent southern U.S. areas, including California and Texas. - Also called Kamarere, the rainbow gum (Eucalyptus deglupta) is a variety of eucalyptus found throughout Mexico, as well as southern Texas, southern California and Florida. Native to the Philippines, the rainbow gum tree features peeling bark in vertical strips to reveal a rainbow of brilliant colors. A rainbow gum is generally about 80 feet tall, although it can reach up to 225 feet. Unlike Australian eucalyptus, rainbow gums prefer humid, cool, tropical conditions, such as rain forests. They can handle brief frosts, up to about 26 degrees Fahrenheit. The elongated, oval leaves feature the characteristic Eucalyptus aroma, although it is less pronounced than in Australian species.
- Blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) is a fast-growing evergreen with gray-blue bark that peels off in strips. Native to Australia and Tasmania, it grows in Mexico and parts of the southern United States. The species grows quickly, averaging up to 8 feet per year to a height of about 200 feet. Blue gums feature sickle-shaped gray-green leaves that hang in a drooping, vertical habit and have a strong, aromatic scent. In the late winter and early spring, the species flowers, producing small clusters of whitish-colored blooms. Hardwood pods, similar to acorns, follow the flowers and contain black seeds. Blue gum is often used to create windbreaks and erosion control in deforested places.
- Also known as the river red gum or the Murray red gum, the red gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is named for the color of its sap. Native to Australia, the red gum is another eucalyptus species that grows in Mexico. The massive tree can grow up to 200 feet tall and has bark that flakes off in strips. The bark color on a red gum tree is gray and reveals white, gray or tan shades underneath as it peels off. A red gum tree's silvery-green leaves are elongated and spear-shaped, often about a foot long, and grow in a weeping habit. Drought-tolerant red gums are used throughout Central and South America to help prevent flooding and erosion.
