A Guide To American Wandlore

Eucalyptus

In the 1850s, Eucalyptus trees were introduced to California by Australians during the Gold Rush. Much of California has a similar climate to parts of Australia. By the early 1900s, thousands of acres of eucalypts were planted with the encouragement of the state government. It was hoped that they would provide a renewable source of timber for construction, furniture making, and railway sleepers. It was soon found that for the latter purpose eucalyptus was particularly unsuitable, as the ties made from eucalyptus tended to twist while drying, and the dried ties were so tough that it was nearly impossible to hammer railway spikes into them. They went on to note that the promise of eucalyptus in California was based on the old virgin forests of Australia. This was a mistake, as the young trees being harvested in California could not compare in quality to the centuries-old eucalyptus timber of Australia. It reacted differently to harvest. The older trees didn't split or warp as the infant California crop did. There was a vast difference between the two, and this would doom the California eucalyptus industry.

Benefits

Australian indigenous populations used eucalyptus for spiritual cleansing. Eucalyptus oil is widely known for its medicinal properties, which have added an air of magic and mystery to the reputation of the tree.

Australian indigenous populations had many uses for eucalyptus trees. They used the wood and bark to make tools, spear throwers, shields, canoes, and musical instruments. Leaves of certain species were soaked in water making a healing tea. The Kulin people of Victoria made water bowls from the tree known as tarnuks. The Murray River tribes were known to use the bark to make canoes. Oil from the leaves of eucalyptus trees is now used all over the world for its antiseptic qualities. It's used medicinally to help clear congestion and colds and is great for respiratory problems and muscle and joint pain. It also appears in some topical creams for arthritis, mouthwash, toothpaste, shampoos, and insect repellents. Most commonly the wood from trees is used for timber and pulpwood for paper production.

Thoughts

Popular in Australia and around the world, especially in California, Hawaii, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Ethiopia, Egypt, Madagascar, South Africa, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and India, Eucalyptus makes for a gregarious wand that seeks an equally gregarious owner. These witches and wizards enjoy their interests and hobbies intensely and often lifelong. Athletically inclined, these activities often include extreme sports and working with their hands (which they do very well). However, there is some balance with this focus on the material world, as this wood also indicates a talent for cleansing people and places of the influence of dark magic or troubling emotions.

Tea is often one of their favored forms for cleansing, and relaxation– for themselves and their friends. Eucalyptus owners love to take care of other people and are even a bit aggressive in their attempts to do so. They also love to clean and may overstep their boundaries when confronted with a mess that isn't theirs. Physically expressive, they gesture with their hands a lot as they speak. With their loved ones, they may be described as being like velcro (always stuck to their side, have to be in physical contact).

Physically, these witches and wizards look young for their age and will have healthy bones and joints well into old age. Plant and light-based magic are the main elements in this wand's composition. There is also a focus on bones, and, given the proper core, there could be talent at using bones for divination purposes. Eucalyptus wands are often apt at herbology, potions, and charms. They are quite resistant to using dark magic. On the other hand, it is good at performing extensive ritual magic. It is weak with magic that involves more than one element at a time (such as a spell to do with steam). 

This energetic wood prefers cores that are more passive, relaxed, or lazy (demiguise hair being one such core). If the core is energetic as well (like billywig stinger), indicates a more distracted or dangerously obsessive personality. Lastly, this wand can release an aroma to clean the air of dark magic and emotions, as well as calm savage beasts. If its owner is hurt, the wand can secrete oil to help alleviate the pain.

Rainbow Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus deglupta is a species of tall tree, commonly known as the rainbow eucalyptus, Mindanao gum, or rainbow gum, and is native to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea and introduced to Florida and Hawaii. It is the only Eucalyptus species that usually lives in the rainforest, with a natural range that extends into the northern hemisphere, and one of only four eucalypt species out of more than seven hundred that do not occur in Australia. It is characterized by multi-colored bark featuring hues of lavender, blue, green, orange, and maroon. 

This colorful member of the eucalyptus family is popular in Australia, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, and Indonesia, as well as Florida and Hawaii. Rainbow Eucalyptus wands are odd, niche wands, functioning excellently within only a few limited schools of magic, generally dictated by the wand core. One of the only schools consistent in its appearance in the magic of Eucalypts is Healing magic, which remains strong whether the other schools the wand prefers are a prankster's hexes and jinxes, transfiguration, or others. Generally, the master such a wand chooses depends on the core, but it usually chooses those of a playful but quiet nature. This wand wood is famous for the rainbow effect that it creates during spellwork.