Eucalyptus spp., Eucalyptus (13)
In Australia, the Eucalyptus tree is a timber producing plant (Stuart and Sawyer, 2001). It was imported originally in the hope that it would be a source of plentiful and high quality railroad ties. However, Eucalyptus trees in California make poor timber because their wood tends to split when dried and is very brittle.
Despite the fact that Eucalyptus is a non-native genera, it does quite will in California (and in the rest of the world) and has become an important part of the visual landscape. In the mild climate, the tree established itself in planted groves up and down the coast and throughout much of the interior of the state. In fact, the Eucalyptus might be the only non-European plant to achieve such worldwide success as a non-native species (Crosby, 1986).
Its leaf litter and bark flakes contain oils that retard the development of competing plants in Eucalyptus groves, which helps to ensure the success of the tree. The same oil has many pharmaceutical uses. The Eucalyptus reproduces by seed, but prefers to spread by shoots from adult trees. As a result, while Eucalyptus groves are increasing in size, new colonization far from established groves is rare (Stuart and Sawyer, 2001).