Ah, the introduced tree Californians love to hate. It grows fast, but aside from that, the plan of introducing it as a lumber tree can’t be said to have been very carefully thought out. It sheds long strips of bark that make terrific tinder in our fire-prone region, the very speed with which it grows can make it something of a weed, and according to some noses (for example, my sweetie’s), it fills the surrounding air with the aroma of cat pee. But eucalyptus has its lovely qualities too, one of which is the graceful drape of the adult leaves.

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