Eucalyptus01

Note: These plants can be dangerous if improperly used. The author, and/or ernestartist.org assume no liability for experimentation of use.

Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

The eucalyptus can be found in a variety of sizes with some species being among the largest trees in the world; whereas, other members of the genus, may be mere shrubs. It grows on the desert, swampland, valleys, and alpine regions. It finds nourishment in a complexity of soils and can survive in differing types of climate.

The eucalyptus is an evergreen and many species grow very rapidly especially globulus. Mostly erect in form, the tree is strong and usually slender. It is an aggressive plant whose leaves demand every vestige of sunlight, and its roots suck up all the moisture within their domain. The color of the wood varies from white to dark brown depending upon the species with the heartwood and sapwood being indistinguishable among species. The grain of this hardwood is similar to hickory or ash and is just as beautiful if handled correctly by the worker

It propagates best from seed, and because of this, there is no transfer of disease as would be the case with cuttings or seedlings. This has been an important factor in the success of eucalyptus in California which has been virtually disease-free; thus, from the beginning of its introduction into California, eucalyptus seed and not seedlings have been imported from Australia.

Eucalyptus serves man well. It has more useful purposes than any other tree on earth. For example, it provides forest cover for any terrain from mountains to swamps. It gives shade and acts as a windbreak. It furnishes gum, resin, oil, and nectar. When cut it is used for fuel, construction, poles, posts, and hardwood products. The eucalyptus even has the reputation of improving the climate in which it grows. It has been proclaimed to be "The Tree of California."184

In its native land of Australia, the eucalyptus was found in virgin forests and provided the settler with a multitude of products from firewood to strong timbers. It was used in the manufacture of ships, bridges, railroad ties, railroad vehicles, wagons, furniture, agricultural implements, paving blocks, barrels, poles, piles, and posts. It was used just like hickory, oak, and ash in the United States.

It was found in Australia that blue gum wood used inside railroad cars lasted at least twenty years. Such use requires elasticity, strength, and durability. A house was
built in Toowoomba from eucalyptus and was still in excellent condition after thirty years. A bridge crossing the Dawson River containing eucalyptus girders and piles, forty years later was as strong as when first built. Eucalyptus wood can be as hard as iron and as durable if it receives proper treatment.

Eucalyptus has been used in place of mothballs, to scour out boilers, in various medicines, pulp for paper, and in landscaping. Today it is used also as biomass fuel, ply- wood, charcoal, and as an alcohol substitute in gasoline engines. It also is being used to drain waste water to eliminate soil salinity. (Even the Israelis have used eucalyptus trees surreptitiously to mark Syrian targets. In Mexico, marijuana and poppy growers have used eucalyptus to hide their illegal crops.) There are so many uses for eucalyptus that it is like the proverbial pig where everything is used except the oink. In the case of the eucalyptus, everything is used except the noise from its rattling leaves and someone might find a use for that with new technology.

Using wood as fuel for heating and cooking is as old as man. Because of its rapid growth, eucalyptus became an attractive fuel and was planted for that reason and for that purpose. Today, besides the traditional fireplace or cook stove uses, eucalyptus wood is chipped and used as biomass fuel in the generation of electricity. Eucalyptus burns brightly and has a refreshing fragrance. It is equal to oak as firewood and is better than other natural California wood. The best fuel comes from ten
year old trees.

Eucalyptus timber has been put to similar uses similar as other hardwood. It has had some success, but it has failed as well. Its failure is really a misconception in the minds of growers and investors. They were expecting too much from the young eucalyptus trees. They were anticipating products like those produced in Australia. The problem was those products came from eucalyptus trees in virgin forests which were several hundred years of age. The quality of the wood from these older trees differs greatly from the young eucalyptus trees found in California. This misunderstanding meant economic ruin for some in California. It also gave the eucalyptus a bad reputation which still exists today.

Settlers in Australia used the eucalyptus trees just as pioneers in California used the oak and redwoods. They needed shelter, vehicles for transportation, household amenities, and fuel for survival. Eucalyptus timber was used in the construction of ships, buildings, bridges, wharves, and railroad cars. It was used in the manufacturing of barrels, paving blocks, agriculture implements, and furniture. It was also cut for poles, posts, and pilings. The eucalyptus was instrumental in the successful settlement of the vast Australian continent.

The eucalyptus flowers provide nectar for bees especially when other flowers aren't available. Some species bloom continuously and hence a constant supply of nectar is available. Besides being a food, some claimed that eucalyptus honey could settle nerves and relieve irritation in the mucous membranes. Eucalyptus honey has a strong peppermint taste and odor which makes it less desirable than other honeys.

Outside of honey, Californians have never used eucalyptus for food, but the Australians have. The Aborigines use eucalyptus roots as a source of water. They also cook and eat the roots. The flakes from manna gum are eaten as dessert by children. Dried eucalyptus leaves are fed to horses, cattle, and sheep.
Koalas get moisture and food from eucalyptus leaves. It knows which species it likes, and by smelling, it can tell which ones might be harmful. Contrary to myth, koalas aren't drugged by eucalyptus leaves, but rather they have a very slow metabolism which keeps them relaxed. Koalas have a pleasant odor which comes from the eucalyptus food it eats.

By its very essence, eucalyptus has the scent of freshness and purification. It smells healthy, and consequently, its oils have been used in both folk and modern medicine. This writer's own father told of the practice of putting a eucalyptus leaf between the lips of sick people having respiratory problems. The hanging of eucalyptus leaves in houses was common as well as boiling eucalyptus leaves on stoves allowing the peppermint odor to permeate the air.

The essential oil used for medicinal purposes is produced by boiling eucalyptus leaves in water, condensing the vapor, and collecting it. The species amygdalina produces 265.5 ounces of oil from 1,000 lb. of leaves while globulus produces 134.8 ounces from the same amount of leaves. Globulus oil contains about 60% eucalyptol (cineol); whereas, amygdalina oil contains no eucalyptol but produces phellandrene. Both eucalyptol and phellandrene are used in medicines.

Pharmacopoeias of Britain and United States require 70% cineol in eucalyptus oil. Some species do have that consistency and more. But the 70% requirement has been difficult to acquire in California because of the cost of production; consequently, eucalyptus oil is imported from Australia where species can produce the proper amount of cineol more cheaply.

The Pharmacology of Materia Medica lists the medical uses of eucalyptus extraction's. It can be used as a stimulant, aphrodisiac, antispasmodic, and antiseptic. It is used in the treatment of septic fevers, diphtheria, asthma, fetid breath, ulcers (syphilitic and otherwise), infections of the bladder, urethra, vagina, and spongy and bleeding gums. It is used as a disinfectant in gangrenous or fetid suppuration, foul ulcers, and offensive skin discharges. It is used too for coughs, lung diseases, and sore throats Eucalyptus tea is good for digestion. Eucalyptus oil in hot baths serves as a nerve sedative. A popular cure for singers and speakers with sore throats has been "Mission Eucalyptus" used along with Listerine which too contains eucalyptus oil.

Eucalyptus oil manufactured for medical purposes can be found in several different forms. It comes as a capsule, fluid extract, powered extract, solid extract, elixir compound, inhalant, lozenges, tinctures, and pills. All of these preparations have a strong peppermint odor. On the tongue and in the stomach, eucalyptus oil produces warmth. If taken internally, large doses can produce headaches, and fatigue. It can cause death in animals from paralysis.

In 1895, Abbott Kinney reported examples of medical success. A doctor in Kansas used eucalyptus extract to heal an amputation which healed well with little pain. A Dr. Wooster of San Francisco used eucalyptus medicine in 136 cases of various infirmities in which 106 were cured. A Dr. Keeler in Australia treated 432 cases with eucalyptus extract, and 310 were cured. These are just two of the many examples found in Kinney's report.

Eucalyptus tincture has been used in the treatment of wounds and sores. Tincture is produced by putting macerated leaves in alcohol for three months. Ten lb. of leaves gives 25 quarts of tincture. Aborigines of Australia used eucalyptus leaves as poultices on wounds. There was one case where an Aborigine had a wound where there was a protrusion of his intestines. They were pushed back into place and dressed in a poultice of eucalyptus leaves. He healed. It was reported in 1871, that hospitals were using eucalyptus as bandages. It was becoming more evident that the eucalyptus had healing powers and should be used medicinally.
At the 1888 World's Fair in Melbourne, Australia, there were 26 cases of diphtheria. Patients breathed steam produced by boiled eucalyptus oil in water. They were able to cough up the balls of tough white mucus. All but two patients fully recovered. It was used too to cure dysentery which settlers and miners contracted.

Eucalyptus was sprayed once or twice a day in sick rooms to disinfect unhealthy air. Eucalyptus seed pods, called portieres, were draped inside houses to emit a healthy scent. It was felt asthmatic patients found relief breathing the eucalyptus-treated air. Eucalyptus oil was used by the rich and poor alike. The Stanford family of Palo Alto used eucalyptus oil as medicine as reported by Leland G. Stanford in a 1970 article.

The English settling in Australia used eucalyptus as a medicine. Its smell reminded them of their English peppermint. It was used for colic, dysentery, and diarrhea. In the gum secreted by the eucalyptus is found the ingredient kino. Taken internally kino is good for intestinal disorders. A factory was established in Australia to produce peppermint gum oil a cure for many ailments.

Eucalyptus species that have a small amount of foliage will have a high level of kino. Rostrata, resinifera, marginata, diversicolor, and siderphloia are of this type. Rostrata posts and poles lasts the longest in the ground because of its kino content. Kino is similar to the resin found in pine trees.

At the turn of the century, a Los Angeles physician was able to produce and sell nine tons of oil which was used in a salve, soap, and cough drops. H.B. Silkwood of Garden Grove produced one ton of oil from one hundred tons of material to use in medical products. Eucalyptus oil came primarily from blue gum in California because it could be manufactured and sold profitably. J.C. Mitchell of Garden Grove could extract three to four gallons of oil from two tons of leaves and twigs. The cost of processing was $3 a gallon. In 1908, it was reported that California distilleries were having trouble finding a market for eucalyptus oil because eucalyptus oil from Australia was sold for a cheaper price.

Throughout the nineteenth century, it was believed that the eucalyptus fought malaria simply by disinfecting the ground and air. By the end of the century, the cause of malaria was found, and the eucalyptus' true relationship to the disease became known.

The female anopheles mosquito carries the malaria parasite and implants it in a human's blood system. The mosquito's home and breeding ground is generally in a area of standing water such as swampland. Because the eucalyptus absorbs large amounts of water, it can drain swampland thereby destroying the habitat of the mosquito, and consequently stopping the spread of malaria. But the story of malaria and the eucalyptus before this was known is fascinating.

As in any mystery there are theories. Early on there were many theories of how the eucalyptus miraculously stopped malaria. Also there were glowing accounts of real life experiences of the successes made in the fight against malaria by the eucalyptus.

After analyzing eucalyptus oils and resins, Bosisto was not able to find anything in them that had the power to oxygenate and purify the air more so than other plants. He noted that eucalyptus oils permeating the air, did refresh one's breathing. Bosisto concludes his paper with some support of the eucalyptus' value in fighting malaria, but the question is still virtually unanswered. He wrote, "In conclusion, may we not say with some authority that the evidence set forth in this paper on our own vegetation is in favor of the eucalyptus being a fever-destroying tree?"

In California, malaria reached its peak in the 1880's. Blue gums were planted with fervor because it was generally felt they purified the air and had some effect on malaria. This comes from the Pacific Rural Press:
A paper read before the California Academy of Natural Sciences in 1879 reported that the Southern Pacific Railroad had planted 1,000 eucalyptus trees between the train stations and the marshes to ward off malaria in the interior valley. The number of malaria cases had dropped from twenty-five to eight.

Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

Note: These plants can be dangerous if improperly used. The author, and/or ernestartist.org assume no liability for experimentation of use.

Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

Smithton peppermint. Evergreen. Grow as shrub or hedge. Bark gray. Leaves glossy, blue/green, lanceolate. Attractive fruit and orange/yellow flower buds. White flowers. Plant in full sun in moderately fertile acid - neutral soil. Keep plant moist. Stake in 1st year if exposed. Pests and diseases - trouble free. Hardy.

Eucalyptus (Gum tree - Myrtaceae) is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs containing over 600 species, varieties and hybrids from Australia and Tasmania. Of all plant genera, this genus shows the greatest variation in size at maturity, ranging from small shrubs of under 3 meters to the tallest known broadleaf tree in the world ( Eucalyptus regans, 124m). There are species adapted to almost every climatic condition from freezing alpine regions to arid desert to tropical rainforest.

The hardy Eucalyptus grow well in gardens as trees, pruned shrubs and stooled plants. Less hardy species are good in bedding schemes, or as foliage pot plants in sheltered areas or conservatories.

Prolific flowering begins in hardy species when they are from 4 to 6 years old. The flower buds occur in umbels from the leaf axils in early summer and open a year later into tufts of stamens with cream colored or white flowers. The individual flowers are 1 to 2.5cm across and are sweet scented.

The medicinal Eucalyptus Oil is probably the most powerful antiseptic of its class, especially when it is old, as ozone is formed in it on exposure to the air. It has decided disinfectant action, destroying the lower forms of life. Internally, it has the typical actions of a volatile oil in a marked degree.

Eucalyptus Oil is used as a stimulant and antiseptic gargle. Locally applied, it impairs sensibility. It increases cardiac action.

Its antiseptic properties confer some anti-malarial action, though it cannot take the place of Cinchona.

An emulsion made by shaking up equal parts of the oil and powdered gum-Arabic with water has been used as a urethral injection, and has also been given internally in drachm doses in pulmonary tuberculosis and other microbic diseases of the lungs and bronchitis.

In croup and spasmodic throat troubles, the oil may be freely applied externally.

The oil is an ingredient of 'catheder oil,' used for sterilizing and lubricating urethral catheters.

In large doses, it acts as an irritant to the kidneys, by which it is largely excreted, and as a marked nervous depressant ultimately arresting respiration by its action on the medullary center.

For some years Eucalyptus-chloroform was employed as one of the remedies in the tropics for hookworm, but it has now been almost universally abandoned as an inefficient anthelmintic, Chenopodium Oil having become the recognized remedy.

In veterinary practice, Eucalyptus Oil is administered to horses in influenza, to dogs in distemper, to all animals in septicemia. It is also used for parasitic skin affections.

The dose of the oil is 1/2 to 3 minims. Eucalyptol may be given in similar doses and is preferable for purposes of inhalation, for asthma, diphtheria, sore throat, etc.

As a local application for ulcers and sores, 1 OZ. of the oil is added to 1 pint of lukewarm water. For local injections, 1/2 OZ. to the pint is taken.

The Fluid Extract is used internally, the dose 1/2 to 1 drachm, in scarlet fever, typhoid and intermittent fever.