Re: Eucalyptus Trees: Good or Bad?
we just had a big Eucalyptus blue gum i think fall over because of the wet
ground. it was big and boy did it fall. the roots just came out of the
ground. i have heard this happens a lot. a big big tree for no reason just
fall out of the ground.. I wonder if Eucalyptus are prone to this?
check out an organic farmers homepage
http://www.rain.org/~sals/my.html
sals@rain.,org
----- Original Message -----
From: "david feix" <davidfeix@yahoo.com>
To: <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001 12:28 PM
Subject: Re: Eucalyptus Trees: Good or Bad?
>
> I was wondering how other landscape designers in
> warmer parts of the world/other mediterannean climates
> felt about the merits/problems with Eucalyptus trees.
> Unfortunately they have developed an unfair reputation
> here in California as being "bad" trees, for various
> reasons. Many feel that they outcompete the native
> plants of California, can become escaped weeds, are
> more of a fire hazard than other types of trees, can
> lower the water table due to their insatiable thirst
> and deep roots, are now vulnerable to introduced pests
> and early decline due to native pests from Australia
> having arrived in California, and/or are inappropriate
> for California because they aren't native. The end
> result is that the bad press they have received has
> made them a lot less planted than they were in the
> past, and within our lifetimes they may become much
> less a part of the "look" of the urban and
> agricultural California landscape. I feel that this
> would be an esthetic loss, and can't imagine what
> towns like Santa Barbara or Highway 101 through the
> Salinas Valley or Golden Gate Park would be like
> without their ubiquitous Eucs...
>
> I could write an essay why in my personal opinion many
> of these attitudes are unjust, but would fail to
> persuade many true believers of all Eucalyptus being
> bad for California landscapes. I do feel it a bit
> sad that we don't have ongoing plantings of majestic
> species such as E. viminalis as magnificent windbreaks
> or skyline trees in larger parks, and even E. globulus
> can be magnificent in the right setting. Having said
> that, I would not want to plant one in my own
> backyard! Some of the more commonly available Euc's
> that are particularly good for California have fallen
> out of favor, and might include:
> E. polyanthemos/Silver Dollar Gum-great grey foliage,
> and even good as a lawn tree
> E. nicholii/Peppermint Eucalyptus-beautiful furrowed
> bark and willow like foliage, Solano Avenue here in
> Berkeley/Albany used to have these as street trees,
> and although they were damaging the sidewalks in some
> locations because they were not given enough planter
> room, they were beautiful.
> E. ficifolia/Red Flowering Gum-one of the glories of
> coastal California for incredible showy bloom,(equal
> to Delonix regia or Tabebuia for vivid color), and so
> difficult to grow elsewhere, but so easy here in
> coastal California
> E. citriodora/Lemon Gum-beautiful tall growing narrow
> tree with smooth white bark, and can be planted close
> to buildings without damage to foundations, a true
> designer's tree
>
> These are just a few of my personal favorites, and
> none of them are as commonly planted now in the 1990's
> and presently as they were in the 1970's. I'd be
> interested to hear from other people as to their
> favorite Euc's here in California or in other
> mediterannean/warm temperate climates. I also
> remember seeing many species in Arizona which are not
> at all common here in California, and are great medium
> sized, drought tolerant shade trees for hot desert
> climates or harsh situations in general, such as E.
> spathulata/narrow Leaved Gimlet, and E. microtheca,
> both of which are more deserving of being planted here
> in California as well.
>
> Just one note on Eucalyptus globulus as being more of
> a hazard than other trees, it has been conclusively
> proven that Blue Gums are actually less combustible
> than our native Monterey Pines/Pinus radiata,
> especially so in the Oakland Hills Fire of a decade
> ago. Any tall tree in high winds would be capable of
> spreading burning embers, and Blue Gum has less oils
> then many pines. The only trees that did seem to have
> a dampening effect on the spread of fire in the
> inferno, were our native Coast Live Oak/Quercus
> agrifolia, and Coast Redwood/Sequoia sempervirens. In
> may cases these two species were singed, rather than
> burnt to a crisp, and often survived to regrow, while
> other adjacent species were completely consumed.
>
>
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