Eucalyptus

Until late in the 18th Century, only a very small percentage of the people on this earth had ever seen or heard of the Eucalyptus plant. In 1768, at last one third of the world’s map remained absent of any information. No one had explored one third of the land and sea on the face of the earth.

Then in 1768 James Cook took the first of three important voyages, voyages with a focus on the discovery of scientific information. Cook’s ship, a vessel named Endeavour, had on board astronomers, naturalists and botanists. One of those botanists wrote in his journal about the Eucalyptus.

Joseph Bank referred to the Eucalyptus plant in Tasmania as a “dragon tree.” Cook himself called the plant a “Gum Dragon.” Cook had seen another gum tree on the Canary Islands. That tree had been called “Dracena.”

The term “Eucalyptus” defines a genus of plant. Plants in that genus originally grew only in Australia and Tasmania. A German botanist introduced plants from that genus into Africa, Europe, California and parts of South America. There are at least 30 different species of plants in the genus “Eucalyptus.” Each species of plant have leathery leaves. The glands in that leaf contain some type of oil.

Eucalyptus plants grow quickly. Some are quite tall, reaching up to a height of 480 feet. The leaf of each plant has distinctly different oil. The purchase of Eucalyptus oil should not be completed, until the seller has identified the species of plant that was the source of the oil.

Not all of the 30 species of Eucalyptus produce an oil for which mankind has found a use. About 25 different species do make useful oil. The leaves of some Eucalyptus plants produce medicinal oil, such as eucalyptol. A different species, the E. globulus contains oil with antiseptic properties.

When the E. globulus is planted in swampy regions, it dries the soil in that same area. The oil in the plant appears to fend-off harmful organisms, namely viral particles that can cause a fever. While the plant can reduce the threat of fever, it an also destroy useful wetlands.

Some Eucalyptus plants produce what are called industrial oils. Terpene is one such oil. Those industrial oils have been used by miners to bring certain particles to the surface of a pool of water. A third group of Eucalyptus plants produce aromatic oils. One such oil has demonstrated the ability to ward-off fleas.