Words On Wellness: Eucalyptus
As we wait for the blessing of seasonal rains, we welcome the arrival of wintering birds like the golden crown sparrow who traveled from the forests of western Canada and Alaska to hop among our coastal shrubs. Other winter visitors include the ferruginous hawk (largest hawk found in North America with a wingspan of over four-feet), merlin falcons, flocks of varied thrush and seabirds like wimbrels. Large groups of Monarch butterflies fly through our state to winter in Mexico but many prefer to over-winter in eucalyptus stands of Southern California.
Cursed by some as an invasive non-native plant, this amazing genus of trees from Australia contains oils that are highly antiseptic and anti-fungal. They require little water or care to thrive and their flowers supply important winter food for bees, butterflies and birds on the west coast. They also serve as a pharmacy for humans in need of respiratory aid. After soaking rains, the leaves and fallen seeds of these trees release their aromatherapy to combat burgeoning mold spores. Pick some leaves now and use in stove-top steams to keep your nasal passages and lungs clear of menacing bacteria and mold. Tuck dried leaves and seeds into your sweater drawers and closets to repel moths – or in your shoes overnight to help with odors. Soak crushed fresh cleaned leaves in honey for a month to make a medicine you can add to tea this winter. You can also place some leaves in a pot of water on your wood-burning stove to release its powerful essential oils in a gentle manor.
California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) is another winter aromatic whose pungent oils combat bacteria, fleas and fungus. Just pick a few leaves to stash in your pantry, your clothes drawers, shoes, flavor in cooking or make a small wreath to hang in a damp corner of your house. Small rodents gather the leaves to put in their homes for the same purpose as they gather the bay nuts that look like mini avocados because indeed they are! Our California bay is the last surviving temperate plant of the avocado family that settled in central and south America. It survived in part because it evolved to produce such protective oils and we are beneficiaries as we walk among their released aromas on a rainy day.
