In the tropical rainforests of the Philippines, New Guinea and Indonesia, grows a tree that looks more like a painting than a plant. The rainbow eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) is named after the vibrant coloured stripes on its trunk, which appear because the trees shed their thin bark throughout life.
The brown outer bark peels off in long, narrow strips, revealing neon-green inner bark that gradually changes colour when exposed to air — transitioning to blues and purples, then shades of red, yellow and eventually brown.
Surprisingly, this colourful tree’s main commercial use is in the production of white paper.
Read more:
- Why do trees lose their leaves?
- How do trees grow straight up, even on a slope?
- The world’s tallest tree is ridiculously large – but far from its theoretical limit
- The oldest trees in world (top 6, ranked)
Asked by: Leslie Willis, Salford
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