There are many different species to the Genus: Eucalyptus.  Growing regions range from Australia and New Zealand to the Western US to Spain and Portugal.  It is also plantation grown in South America, and can be in other regions as well.  It’s a very fast growing species and in Australia is considered to be one of the tallest trees in the world.

The species develops a wide range of figural types including a mostly plain / mild stripe to a mix of stripe and mottle (as shown in the picture) to a very heavy, almost electric looking figure.  The species can also develop what is called a pommele figure, looking completely different than those mentioned prior.

In this example we see a “fumed” version.  Fuming is a process through which veneers and lumber are set in a chamber that regulates temperature, air flow and humidity.  A catalyst – in this case a small amount of ammonia is placed in the chamber as well.  The ammonia reacts with the natural tannin in the wood, resulting over time in the darker color we see in this example.  The reaction is neutralized with another additive to stop the process.  Most species of wood can be fumed, and the process is not new, it’s only been better developed.

The fuming process has no influence over how much or how little figure we see, nor does it influence what kind of figure we see in the wood.