Hold the tinsel—the rainbow eucalyptus tree doesn"t need decorations to appear festive for the holidays. Its bark displays a palette of bright colors by design. As older layers of bark peel away in strips, new layers packed with green chlorophyll are revealed. These exposed areas eventually transition to hues of blue, purple, and orange as tannins accumulate. The continual peeling allows the tree to shed mosses, lichen, fungi, or parasites along with the bark, while also exposing the chlorophyll underneath, which boosts the tree"s ability to photosynthesize. The bark isn"t the only unusual thing about this species. While most people associate eucalyptus with koalas and Australia, the rainbow eucalyptus is native to the Philippines and Indonesia. It thrives in tropical climates like Hawaii, where our homepage trees were photographed.
Tree of many colors
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Welcome to my neck of the woods
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This grizzly has Napping Day down
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International Tiger Day
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A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
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Bay Marker Lookout, Sydney Olympic Park, Australia
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Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
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Glacier cave in Iceland
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Presidents Day
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Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
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Gateway to America
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Observing World Braille Day in Bavaria
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Westerheversand Lighthouse
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Canadian Thanksgiving
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Protecting Alaska
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Bangkok, Thailand
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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Salzburg, Austria
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Spring blooms in the Netherlands
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Oktoberfest
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Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
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Vieste, Apulia, Italy
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Stompin’ with the Big Chief
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Boxing Day
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Gauchos showcase Argentina’s independent spirit
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Looking for peace on the precipice
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Clouds over the River of Grass
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‘Ocian in view! O! The joy.’
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Up, up, and away for Hot Air Balloon Day
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Panda Day
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Happy Mothers Day!