As impressive as the eucalyptus is with its blue foliage and intense smell, its fruits are just as inconspicuous. Nevertheless, there are many facts worth knowing about the little brown capsules. In this article you will learn about the fruits of eucalyptus. Find out everything about its origins and external characteristics.
What is a eucalyptus fruit?
Eucalyptus fruits are small, cone-shaped, dry capsule fruits with valve-like openings at the ends. They arise from red, white or yellow flowers, but are not edible and can be mildly poisonous. The healing active ingredients of eucalyptus are mainly found in the leaves and bark.
Optical features
- Fruit heads are reminiscent of small cones
- Capsules
- Dry
- Woody
- Conical
- Ribbed
- Flat
- Valve-like openings at the ends
Meaning of the name
The attractive arrangement of the flowers gave the eucalyptus its name. Pistils and stamens are visually reminiscent of a cap that encloses the fruit. The name comes from the Greek: eu (beautiful) and kalyptus (cap).
Fruit ripeness
The fruits of the eucalyptus develop from either red, white or yellow flowers. The deciduous tree is pollinated by insects or birds. The valve-like openings at the ends of the fruit release the seeds. In the same way you can get the seeds to propagate the tree. However, if you propagate your eucalyptus independently, no flowering and therefore no fruiting is to be expected.
Are the fruits edible?
Many people associate eucalyptus with the aromatic cough drops made from the extracts. It has a healing effect on bronchitis and colds. However, you should not consume the fruits of eucalyptus, especially not in their raw state. Surprisingly, eucalyptus is slightly poisonous. Only the leaves and bark of the tree are used in medicine. But here too, be warned about essential oils. Only use this in diluted form. The human body's respiratory tract is very sensitive to the intense aroma.
