california: I'm writing a project for school and this is one of the questions I need to answer. In other words, what things in california helped the eucalyptus tree adapt so well that it became invasive? Hope that made sense.. Thank you!|||Unprotected tree sex.. or the Mexican's snuck it in with them. Either one would explain why there are so many.|||it prospers in moderated humid climate..it likes light soil -sandy soil..and since it is originated from Australia,transplanted,it has no biological enemies,yet..an amazing advantage of this amazing long aged tree,it has a very successful and effective self defense strategy.it has fragile and easy breakable branches,so it doesn't resist to storms and hurricanes ..it just easily surrender and gives up their branches and keeps the trunk that gets to re- flourish over and over....good luck|||eucalyptus tree actually robs lot of water and destroys neighboring other plants, so they should be avoided especially in dry or desert like areas.|||From Australian miners Californians would learn of the huge tree that grew easily in temperate climates with little regard to soil or water. It seemed the perfect crop for construction timber and fuel in the rapidly growing state. The tree that one day would be called "America's largest weed" was the "wonder tree" of 19th century California. The first successful planting of eucalyptus in California probably occurred in San Francisco. W.C. Walker of the Golden Gate Nursery planted seeds from several species in 1853. By the 1870s, a eucalyptus boom was in full swing throughout the state. The Australian native was planted on thousands of acres. "For a person who has some capital and is willing to wait for returns, there is a pretty chance to make a fortune in the growing of gum trees," one California newspaper suggested. The eucalyptus seemed to offer several paths to fortune. Shipbuilders, who first saw the wood as it was used in Australian ships, were eager to try the timber. Regrettably, they discovered that California blue gum eucalyptus split and curled, unlike the old-growth trees used by Australian shipbuilders. San Diego joined the eucalyptus boom in the 1880s, mostly as a fuel crop. "Ranchers in the Poway valley have begun to plant eucalyptus trees on the bare spots on the hillside, not only as a source for fuel but to improve the looks of the region," the San Diego Union reported in February 1881. In May, the newspaper reported, "The eucalyptus groves planted in the Cajon valley ... are doing very well; the trees grow rapidly in this climate and show great promise as shade trees and sources of wood." In the mid-1880s, as the railroad crept south from Los Angeles, developers Frank and Warren Kimball planted thousands of blue gums near the Sweetwater River. If eucalyptuses disappointed as a source for shipbuilders or fuel, experts were happy to suggest additional uses. As extensive tree-planting along San Diego city sidewalks began in the late 1880s, eucalyptus promoters cautioned that "shade and moisture (would) cause malaria." However, they said, "it is well known ... that the blue gum tree (eucalyptus globulus) instead of creating malaria actually destroys it." The medicinal value of eucalyptus became a popular theme. As early as 1872, the California Pharmaceutical Society predicted products from the tree would "ultimately supersede expensive drugs now in use." Eucalyptus oil extracted from the leaves was touted as an antiseptic and anti-spasmodic and could be used as an expectorant, stimulant and deodorant. It could treat not only malaria but also insomnia, fevers, bladder infections, dysentery, diphtheria, tuberculosis and venereal disease. But in San Diego, the greatest claim to fame for the eucalyptus was its large-scale production for railroad ties. In August 1906, the Santa Fe Land Improvement Co., a subsidiary of the Santa Fe Railway, bought the 9,000-acre San Dieguito Ranch in north San Diego County. "The question of lumber for ties is one that is being given a great deal of attention," a company spokesman said. "Experiments have shown that the eucalyptus tree makes first-class ties. ... The work of planting these trees will be commenced without delay." The company took delivery of 6 million eucalyptus seeds shipped from Australia. In a three-room adobe at the former homestead of Don Juan Maria Osuna, San Diego's first mayor, a team successfully propagated 3 million seedlings. The young trees were set out among the hillsides of the old rancho, now named Rancho Santa Fe. The eucalyptus railroad tie experiment ended in failure. The soft wood split from the rail spikes and tended to throw the tracks. Santa Fe recouped its investment by subdividing the ranch into hundreds of parcels for country estates. The region soon attracted Hollywood celebrities such as Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Bing Crosby would live for a time at the old Osuna rancho, which he bought in 1932. In recent years, California's historic enthusiasm for the eucalyptus has cooled. A worldwide study of the tree sponsored by the United Nations in 1955 concluded that in California, eucalyptuses had become useful only as windbreaks in citrus groves. Ecologists have been less kind, calling the tree an invasive pest that kills native vegetation and threatens biodiversity. Eucalyptus trees have deep roots in California's history | The San Diego Union-Tribune (12 October 2009) http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/鈥?/a> http://snipurl.com/shfo9