Hawaii’s beautiful “rainbow” trees: pretty, but problematic
Well, chalk this up as kind of a disappointment for this tourist. Sometimes when you go digging for information about things you’re interested in… the answers kind of disappoint you.
Still, I was happy to learn more about these stunning Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees … even if they’re not exactly helpful to the environment on the Hawaiian islands.
They’re colorful and tropical, and look like they naturally belong in the rainforests of Oahu, Maui, and Kauai.
The arboretums on Maui’s Road to Hana, like the Garden of Eden, feature (among other things) the famous Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees.
I was even more pleased to see them growing naturally along the roadside!
You’ll find a grove of them near mile-marker 7 on the Road to Hana. Or, spend some time at the Ke’anae Arboretum, where more beautiful specimens grow.
It really looks like someone took a brush to each trunk, painting stripes of bright greens, purples, oranges, blues, and maroons. Some of the photos you’ll see on Instagram are unnecessarily over-colored [pet peeve of mine].
The natural colors you’ll see with your eyes are impressive enough without an overly-saturated filter adding to what nature created.
A closer look will reveal peeling, thin layers of the outer bark, which initially reveal the vibrant green coloration below.
Over time, the green darkens, then evolves into other colors. As each tree sheds strips of bark constantly, its looks and coloration are always changing.
History on Hawaii
Visually, the Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees (also known as a “Painted Gum”) are true wonders of nature, and native to the Philippines. They grow in any tropical climate which isn’t susceptible to frost or freezing.
They grow quickly, too! Once established, the eucalyptus can grow 6 vertical feet in a single year. The largest trees can measure six-feet across.
The massive size of some of the trees makes it seem like they’ve been growing on Hawaii for centuries. In reality, the first Rainbow Eucalyptus arrived in 1929, so they’re all less than a century old.
The Problem
Technically, this unique tree is an invasive species. Admittedly, this came as a surprise to me.
They were planted, logged, and used for fuel (I assume since they grow so quickly) during sugar cane production in the 1930s.
Their quick growth cycle made people optimistic about using them for lumber, too. But, the trunks twist, making it tough to cut straight pieces needed for building purposes
Problems developed with other planned uses for the Rainbow Eucalyptus on the islands, too.
While the eucalyptus was introduced into some areas to help control soil erosion, the beautiful trees ended up taking too much moisture out of the soil they were supposed to stabilize.
Basically, these days the Rainbow Eucalyptus (at best) is a tourist attraction, and (at worst) is an ecological drain on the islands.
Still, as a tourist, they were definitely something I’ve never seen, and a natural marvel I got to check off my “garden geek” bucket list.
