Bagras
Also known as: Eucalyptus deglupta (scientific name) · Rainbow eucalyptus · Mindanao gum · Rainbow gum
Definition
Bagras (Eucalyptus deglupta), known internationally as the rainbow eucalyptus or Mindanao gum, is a fast-growing tree famous for shedding its bark in strips to reveal a trunk streaked with green, blue, orange, and maroon tones. It is the only Eucalyptus species native to the Philippines, occurring naturally in Mindanao and parts of the wider Malesian region, and one of the few eucalypts found naturally in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Philippines it is valued as a timber and pulpwood species, while its luminous trunk has made it an ornamental celebrity in tropical gardens worldwide. (Wikipedia)
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Eucalyptus deglupta |
| Wikidata | Q2704355 |
| DBpedia | Eucalyptus_deglupta |
| ProductOntology | N/A |
| Wiktionary | N/A |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) | Eucalyptus |
| MeSH | N/A |
| NCBI Taxonomy | Eucalyptus deglupta |
| AGROVOC | Eucalyptus deglupta |
| Google Scholar | Eucalyptus deglupta bagras plantation growth pulpwood Mindanao |
| ConceptNet | tree |
| OpenCyc | N/A |
Also Known As
- Eucalyptus deglupta (scientific name)
- Rainbow eucalyptus
- Mindanao gum
- Rainbow gum
Examples and Analogies
- The Painted Trunk: As old bark peels away in vertical ribbons, patches of different ages show different hues, so a mature bagras looks like a canvas that repaints itself through the year.
- A Native Among Exotics: Most eucalypts seen in the Philippines are Australian introductions, but bagras reverses the story, a Philippine-Malesian native that Australia’s neighbors and Hawaii plant as a striking exotic.
Usage Scenarios
1. Timber and Pulp Plantations
Tree farmers in Mindanao and elsewhere plant bagras for its very fast growth, harvesting it for poles, construction lumber, and fiber for paper.
2. Landscaping and Tourism Plantings
Parks, resorts, and roadside programs use the tree for its colorful trunk, making it one of the most photographed trees in tropical Asia and the Pacific.
Strategies
- Site plantations on well-watered slopes and avoid dry, fire-prone grasslands, since the species demands steady moisture to sustain its rapid growth.
- Rotate harvests and retain streamside native forest, so bagras farms supply fiber without replacing the biodiversity values of primary woodland.
- Use locally sourced seed to preserve adapted strains of the native Philippine populations.
Security and Safety Measures
- Bagras bark sheds continuously; plant trees away from power lines and walkways where falling strips and brittle branches could cause damage.
- Young plantations should be protected from fire, to which the thin-barked juveniles are vulnerable.
- As with any fast plantation tree, avoid invasive spread into natural grasslands and monitor water use near streams.
Historical Context
The species was described scientifically in the nineteenth century from Malesian material, with its natural range centered on Mindanao, Sulawesi, New Guinea, and New Britain. Philippine forestry adopted it early as a reforestation and pulp species because it grows far faster than native dipterocarps on suitable sites. In recent decades the tree’s dramatic bark made it an international ornamental, planted from Hawaii to Florida and appearing widely in photography of tropical landscapes.
Challenges and Controversies
Plantation Versus Native Forest
Critics warn that fast-growing fiber species, including bagras, can be used to justify converting residual native forest into monoculture, while supporters argue that on degraded sites it restores cover and livelihoods quickly.
Silvicultural Limits
Outside moist, fertile sites the species performs poorly and can disappoint planters, leading to debates over its true role in Philippine reforestation programs compared with native species.