It stood perhaps 200 feet high. Its trunk was huge, too big to put your arms around. Like other Eucalyptus globosa, or Tasmanian blue gum trees, its bark shredded off in ragged tatters, littering the ground beneath, falling on the road, and tangled in the utility wires.
Invasive, shading out native plants, and with so much highly flammable litter, resinous leaves, eucalyptus trees are undesirable in the Santa Monica Mountains.
So they cut it down. It took a crew, a massive crane, and three days to do it, but when it was over, there was nothing but a massive stump.
Ah, but eucalyptus trees are resilient. Just a few months later, I walked by and there, springing up green from the bare stump - life.
I touched the waxy, firm leaves, and the mentholated scent of eucalyptus filled the air.
Yes, it's a junk tree. But you have to admire its resilience.
I love these special trees. I didn't know they were not native!
ReplyDeleteOh, but you can write!
ReplyDeleteI had the same Jurassic Park reaction.
ReplyDeleteAnd just what are the koalas supposed to eat now?
It's amazing how so many bad decisions are made in the interest of "landscaping", around here (as in much of the country) knotweed is ubiquitous because someone liked the way it looks. It's edible, even has a pleasantly sour taste, but it's EVERYWHERE.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the leaves would be good to infuse in alcohol for an inexpensive cologne substitute. I usually alternate between Jamaican bay rum (I like to smell like an old-timey barber shop) and rosemary-infused rubbing alcohol (I like to smell like a roast chicken).
ReplyDeleteYou need neighborhood koalas!
ReplyDeleteAnd like many Australian natives, fire doesn't kill them; in fact seeds often need a bushfire in order to germinate.franinoz
ReplyDelete