Eucalyptus Leaves

Like so many plants (including weeds) the new leaves of the eucalyptus are a red color at birth. Eucalyptus were brought to Arizona in the mid-1800s from Australia since it is a fast-growing tree and Arizona had no indigenous trees capable of producing large amounts of firewood needed for heating and cooking. The eucalyptus grows from two to four feet per year and can reach heights of 120 feet. I used to have one in my back yard that was about that tall. Unfortunately, the menthol it drips kills everything in sight. As it grows taller and taller it becomes very brittle, and in our summer monsoons large branches can break off and cause much destruction.

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Today in History: 1947 – The first televised White House address is given by U.S. President Harry S. Truman.