“California Dreamin” pale ever green eucalyptus leaves frame the passage way to the beach, dare we take off our shoes and head for the water “on such a winter’s day?”

The Weekly Photo Challenge Green

As long as the plant world stays green winter hasn’t won! I am told that long ago folks brought their trees inside to make it through the long cold winter and that was the beginning of the Christmas tree.

My bright green little Christmas tree waiting to come inside.

It’s deciduous friend the Dawn Redwood,

also known as a living fossil,

gets ready for the long winters nap by dropping it’s needles.

7 thoughts

  1. I love your little Christmas tree…altho for a moment I misread it and thought the Dawn Redwood was the Christmas tree…LoL…☺☺☺… my Christmas tree this year…for the 3rd year…is a floor to ceiling `Shefleura” which started with my grand daughter when she lived here for a short time on breaks from school.
    Thanks for sharing the photos.

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  2. It always seems strange to see eucalyptus around the world because they are so uniquely and quintessentially Australian – their original home. All Australian expats feel tearful at the smell of eucalyptus, fresh or burning because it is so redolent of home.
    They first began exporting the trees in the mid 19th century because they grow so quickly. India, Africa, Europe, the Americas all took on the tree and many to their cost because it was not realised how ‘thirsty’ they are and how clever they are at finding water. I saw massive eucalyptus stumps in Portugal where they trees had been cut down because they took too much water and grew too high and too large. In many places they are considered ‘vermin’ because they have such an impact on the local environment.
    In Australia we call them gum trees because of the gum they exude and of course there are many varieties. Another problem with them is that while they are fine in paddocks (fields) they are dangerous in urban areas because they have a tendency to drop massive branches in an instant – particularly where they are subjected to dramatic temperature changes. Australian cities have in recent decades removed gums and replaced them with less unpredictable trees which is wise.
    Like so many things the gift was in the curse and the curse was in the gift.
    The eucalyptus is also predisposed to massive bushfires (wildfires in the US) because they contain so much oil that when they catch fire they literally explode and send sparks like rain for miles….I can only think that as with many things it is wise to err on the side of caution when experimenting for the eucalyptus around the world has done as much harm as it has done good.
    This member of the myrtle family loves fire and thrives on it and makes a good friend where people need trees and timber to grow quickly; but a bad enemy often to the land and the people who live there.

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    1. We in the San Fransisco Bay area are familiar with the perils of gum trees or eucalyptus. Their roots tore up our side walks and there was a great fire 20 years ago where many lives and homes where lost because of the overuse of eucalyptus. We have a giant park in the hills because an business man about 100 years ago imported them to make furniture. thought he would make a fortune because they grow so fast but got the wrong kind and so were useless. To make amends he donated hundreds of aches as a park. That’s where I took the pictures for the walk in the woods last week. Blessing and a curse I too am fond of the smell as well.
      Thank you for the story.

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