Image – Wikimedia/Paxson Woelber
Can you grow a rainbow eucalyptus in Spain? When we see so many specimens of other eucalyptus species growing without any problems in different parts of the geography of this country, we can come to the conclusion that it will not be difficult for us to grow a Eucalyptus deglupta -this is what botanists call our protagonist- outside.
Well, their needs are a bit special, that’s why it will not always be an easy plant to maintain. In fact, one could almost compare it to the coconut tree, which is beautiful during the months when the weather is fine, but then when the first cold weather arrives it begins to suffer. The same thing happens with this eucalyptus, because the coconut tree and it need similar climates.
Where does rainbow eucalyptus come from and what climate does it need?
Image – Wikimedia/Forest & Kim Starr
It is always important to know where a plant comes from to better understand its needs. In the case of the rainbow eucalyptus, it must be said that it inhabits the tropical forests and jungles of Papua New Guinea, the Moluccas Islands as well as Celebes, the latter two belonging to Indonesia. In none of these places the weather is hot all year round, humid and it rains frequently.
This means that the Eucalyptus deglupta don’t know the cold because it has not had to adapt to it, since in its habitat the lowest temperature is around 10-15ºC. And since water is always available, he didn’t have to take any measures to withstand a drought either.
Another important fact is that It is a plant that always grows by exposing itself to the sun. Like the rest of the eucalyptus, it is a plant which, to be really good, needs to feel the sun’s rays directly on its leaves and branches. For this reason, when growing it, it should never be placed in the shade or in poorly lit areas.
Would it be worth growing it in Spain?
Based on my experience in growing tropical plants with similar needs – among which the coconut palm, by the way – in a small town in the south of the island of Mallorca, I will tell you that it would only be worth it if the temperatures are not very extreme and the air humidity is high throughout the year. And even so, if it drops to 10 ºC or less, you will have to put it inside the house until spring returns.
And clear, indoors, a eucalyptus is a complicated plant, because it requires a lot of -natural- light, high air humidity, and pleasant temperatures, around 10 and 30ºC. Who can provide this to you? Today, with the growth of cities, it is becoming more and more difficult to have a house with a room through which the windows penetrate a lot of light, because it is normal for there to be a building directly opposite, for example.
Now there are solutions to this. There are growth bulbs for plants that consume little and that they can help the rainbow eucalyptus to grow – or at least stay green – until it can be taken out again, like this one for example:
How to take care of it in Spain?
Focusing more on care, I will now explain what you can do to keep your tree healthy:
Irrigation
Image – Wikimedia/David J. Stang
Irrigation is something that must be done yes or yes throughout the year, unless when you are outside it rains at a specific time. The water to be used will be rainwater, but if it is not available, you can use another suitable for human consumption.. Water when the soil dries out, pouring the water over said soil (i.e. you don’t need to wet the plant).
Humidity (of the air)
In case you live near the coast, or on an island, you don’t have to worry about it. But if on the other hand you are far away, where the humidity is low, you will need to water your rainbow eucalyptus with water once a day. In this way, you will prevent its leaves from falling prematurely.
Pass
So that you can make the most of the good weather, You have to pay it in the spring and until the end of the summer. Do this with fast-acting fertilizers, such as guano (available here), and follow the directions for use. In this way you will be able to see that over the years it grows more and more.
Transplantation – change of pot
It is important that you check if the roots come out of the holes in the pot, since it is in his best interest to grow as much as possible so that he becomes stronger. Therefore, when the time comes, and whenever it is spring, you should plant it in a container about ten centimeters wider and taller than the one you are already using, and fill it with universal growing medium.
As you can see, it is a complicated tree in our country, but it is so beautiful that it can be interesting to grow it in a pot.