Editing Eucalyptus (section)

==Cultivation and uses==
[[File:Eucalyptus niphophila - Mount Ginini - Namadgi National Park.jpg|thumb|[[Eucalyptus pauciflora|Snow gum]] in [[Namadgi National Park]]]]
Eucalypts were introduced from [[Australia]] to the rest of the world following the [[James Cook|Cook]] expedition in 1770. Collected by [[Joseph Banks|Sir Joseph Banks]], [[botanist]] on the expedition, they were subsequently introduced to many parts of the world, notably [[California]], southern Europe, Africa, the [[Middle East]], South Asia and South America. About 250 species are under cultivation in California.<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Matt Ritter |first=Matt  |last=Ritter |title=The Digital Jepson Manual |publisher=University of California Press |edition=2nd |date=2012 |isbn=978-0-520-95137-2 |pages=913–4 |jstor=10.1525/j.ctt1pn9sv |oclc=797855571 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt1pn9sv }}</ref> In [[Portugal]] and also [[Spain]], eucalypts have been grown in plantations for the production of [[pulpwood]]. ''Eucalyptus'' are the basis for several industries, such as sawmilling, pulp, charcoal and others. Several species have become [[invasive species|invasive]] and are causing major problems for local ecosystems, mainly due to the absence of [[wildlife corridor]]s and rotations management.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Eucalypts have many uses which have made them [[Economics|economically]] important trees, and they have become a [[cash crop]] in poor areas such as [[Timbuktu]], Mali<ref name=Timbuktu>[[WorldWatch Institute]]. (2007) ''[[State of the World (book series)|State of the World]]: Our Urban Future''.</ref>{{Rp|22|date=May 2009}} and the [[Peru]]vian [[Andes]],<ref name=Peruvian>{{cite journal |first=J. |last=Luzar |title=The Political Ecology of a "Forest Transition": Eucalyptus forestry in the Southern Peruvian |journal=Ethnobotany Research & Applications |volume=5 |pages=85–93 |date=2007 |doi=10.17348/era.5.0.85-93 |url=http://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/download/121/107|doi-access=free |hdl=10125/222 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> despite concerns that the trees are [[Invasive species|invasive]] in some environments like those of [[South Africa]].<ref name=invasive/> Best-known are perhaps the varieties [[Eucalyptus diversicolor|karri]] and [[Eucalyptus melliodora|yellow box]]. Due to their fast growth, the foremost benefit of these trees is their wood. They can be chopped off at the root and grow back again. They provide many desirable characteristics for use as [[Ornamental plant|ornament]], timber, firewood and pulpwood. Eucalyptus wood is also used in a number of industries, from fence posts (where the oil-rich wood's high resistance to decay is valued) and charcoal to [[cellulose]] extraction for [[biofuel]]s. Fast growth also makes eucalypts suitable as [[windbreak]]s and to reduce [[erosion]].{{cn|date=June 2024}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Minshew |first=Chimene |date=April 2021 |title=Growth and Survival of Eucalyptus species as Windbreak Plantings in California's Central Valley |url=https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/capmctn13794.pdf |journal=TECHNICAL NOTES - U.S. Department of Agriculture}}</ref>

Some ''Eucalyptus'' species have attracted attention from horticulturists, [[development economics|global development]] researchers, and environmentalists because of desirable traits such as being fast-growing sources of wood, producing oil that can be used for cleaning and as a natural [[insecticide]], or an ability to be used to drain [[swamp]]s and thereby reduce the risk of [[malaria]]. [[Eucalyptus oil]] finds many uses like in fuels, fragrances, insect repellence and antimicrobial activity. ''Eucalyptus'' trees show [[allelopathic]] effects; they release compounds which inhibit other plant species from growing nearby. Outside their natural ranges, eucalypts are both lauded for their beneficial economic impact on poor populations<ref name=Peruvian/><ref name=Timbuktu/>{{Rp|22|date=May 2009}} and criticised for being "water-guzzling" [[Invasive species|aliens]],<ref name=invasive/> leading to controversy over their total impact.<ref name=SantosProblems/>

Eucalypts draw a tremendous amount of water from the soil through the process of [[transpiration]]. They have been planted (or re-planted) in some places to lower the [[water table]] and reduce [[soil salination]]. Eucalypts have also been used as a way of reducing [[malaria]] by draining the soil in Algeria, Lebanon, Sicily,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/e/eucaly14.html |title=A Modern Herbal:Eucalyptus |author=Mrs. M. Grieve |access-date=2005-01-27}}</ref> elsewhere in [[Europe]], in the Caucasus (Western [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]), and California.<ref>{{cite web |author=Santos, Robert L |url=http://www.library.csustan.edu/bsantos/section2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060910202206/http://www.library.csustan.edu/bsantos/section2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-09-10 |title=Section Two: Physical Properties and Uses |work=The Eucalyptus of California |publisher=California State University |year=1997}}</ref> Drainage removes [[swamp]]s which provide a habitat for [[mosquito]] [[larva]]e, but can also destroy ecologically productive areas. This drainage is not limited to the soil surface, because the ''Eucalyptus'' roots are up to {{convert|2.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} in length and can, depending on the location, even reach the [[phreatic zone]].{{citation needed|date=February 2012}}

===Pulpwood===
{{see also|Paper industry}}
''Eucalyptus'' is the most common short fibre source for [[pulpwood]] to make [[Pulp (paper)|pulp]].<ref name=marketpulp>{{Cite book|last=Nanko |first=Hirko |author2=Button, Allan |author3=Hillman, Dave |title=The World of Market Pulp |publisher=WOMP, LLC |year=2005 |location=Appleton, WI, USA |pages=107–9 |isbn=978-0-615-13013-2 }}</ref> The types most often used in [[papermaking]] are ''[[Eucalyptus globulus]]'' (in temperate areas) and the ''[[Eucalyptus urophylla]]'' x ''[[Eucalyptus grandis]]'' hybrid (in the tropics).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenscapetreeafrica.org/eucalyptus.html|website=GoldenscapeTreeAfrica.org|title=Goldenscape Tree Africa|publisher=Goldenscape Tree Africa|access-date=2018-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212013/https://www.goldenscapetreeafrica.org/eucalyptus.html|archive-date=2018-03-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fibre length of ''Eucalyptus'' is relatively short and uniform with low coarseness compared with other hardwoods commonly used as pulpwood. The fibres are slender, yet relatively thick walled. This gives uniform paper formation and high [[opacity (optics)|opacity]] that are important for all types of [[fine paper]]s. The low coarseness is important for high quality [[coated paper]]s.<ref name=marketpulp /> ''Eucalyptus'' is suitable for many [[tissue paper]]s as the short and slender fibres gives a high number of fibres per gram and low coarseness contributes to softness.<ref name=marketpulp />

===''Eucalyptus'' oil===
{{Main |Eucalyptus oil}}
[[Eucalyptus oil]] is readily [[steam distillation|steam distilled]] from the leaves and can be used for cleaning and as an industrial solvent, as an antiseptic, for deodorising, and in very small quantities in [[food]] supplements, especially [[sweets]], [[cough drops]], [[toothpaste]] and decongestants. It has insect-repellent properties,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jahn |first1=Gary |title=Ant Repellent Activity of Eucalyptus Extracts in Choice Tests, 1988 |journal=Insecticide and Acaricide Tests |date=1 January 1991 |volume=16 |issue=1 |page=293 |url=https://academic.oup.com/amt/article/16/1/293/4573406 |access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> and serves as an active ingredient in some commercial mosquito-repellents.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fradin |first1=Mark S. |last2=Day |first2=John F. |title=Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents against Mosquito Bites |journal=New England Journal of Medicine |volume=347 |issue=1 |pages=13–18 |date=7 October 2009 |doi=10.1056/nejmoa011699 |pmid=12097535 |doi-access=free }}</ref> [[Aromatherapy|Aromatherapists]] have adopted ''Eucalyptus'' oils for a wide range of purposes.<ref>
{{cite book|year=2002|chapter=Composition of essential oils and other materials: Popular essences|editor1-last=Clarke|editor1-first=Sue|title=Essential Chemistry for Aromatherapy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3n8KkOb9ZuYC|edition=2|location=Edinburgh|publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|publication-date=2009|page=175|isbn=9780443104039|access-date=2020-04-28|quote=The eucalyptus essential oils find widespread applications [...]. For aromatherapy, the oils can be used for skin care, the respiratory system, the nervous system, the urino-genital system and the musculo-skeletal system.
}}</ref> ''[[Eucalyptus globulus]]'' is the principal source of ''Eucalyptus'' oil worldwide.

===Musical instruments===
Eucalypt wood is also commonly used to make [[didgeridoo]]s, a traditional [[Australian Aboriginals|Australian Aboriginal]] [[wind instrument]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.didjshop.com/shop1/HowDidgeridooIsMade-MythAndFacts.html|title=How a Didgeridoo is Made - Myth and Facts|access-date=28 February 2018|publisher=Didjshop}}</ref> The trunk of the tree is hollowed out by termites, and then cut down if the bore is of the correct size and shape.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.didgeridoodojo.com/didgeridoo-buyers-guide/what-material-wood-should-my-didgeridoo-be-made-fro/|title=What Material or Wood Should my Didgeridoo be made from?|access-date=28 February 2018|publisher=Didgeridoodojo}}</ref>

Eucalypt wood is also being used as a [[tonewood]] and a fingerboard material for acoustic guitars, notably by the California-based Taylor company.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sampson |first1=William |title=Taylor debuts guitars with urban sourced eucalyptus wood |url=https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/taylor-debuts-guitars-urban-sourced-eucalyptus-wood |website=Woodworking Network |date=30 September 2022 |publisher=CCI Media |access-date=18 May 2023}}</ref>

===Dyes===
All parts of ''Eucalyptus'' may be used to make [[dye]]s that are substantive on [[protein]] fibres (such as [[silk]] and [[wool]]), simply by processing the plant part with [[water]]. Colours to be achieved range from yellow and orange through green, tan, chocolate and deep rust red.<ref>India Flint, Botanical Alchemist. "The Scent of Eucalyptus." http://www.indiaflint.com/page6.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614044746/http://www.indiaflint.com/page6.htm |date=2010-06-14 }}</ref>

===Prospecting===
''Eucalyptus'' trees in the Australian outback draw up gold from tens of metres underground through their root system and deposit it as particles in their leaves and branches. A Maia detector for x-ray elemental imaging at the [[Australian Synchrotron]] clearly showed deposits of gold and other metals in the structure of ''Eucalyptus'' leaves from the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia that would have been untraceable using other methods. The microscopic leaf-bound "nuggets", about 8 [[micrometre]]s wide on average, are not worth collecting themselves, but may provide an environmentally benign way of locating subsurface mineral deposits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newatlas.com/eucalyptus-gold-leaf-csiro/29520/|title="Gold leaf" trees discovered in the Australian outback|date=2013-10-23|website=newatlas.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131022-gold-eucalyptus-leaves-mining-geology-science/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023141717/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131022-gold-eucalyptus-leaves-mining-geology-science/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2013|title=Gold Grows On Eucalyptus Trees|date=2013-10-23|website=National Geographic News|access-date=2019-03-29}}</ref>