Paperbark Tree
Melaleuca quinquenervia
33.8136, -117.92
Field Notes
Description:
At the very entrance to Disneyland, watching over the comings and goings of thousands of visitors a day, is a marvelous old tree covered in layers of prospective documents. It is the Paperbark Tree, a type of Eucalyptus in the Family Myrtaceae. These trees can reach 100 years of age and this one was probably planted when Disneyland opened in 1955 (59 years ago).
Habitat:
Entrance to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.
Notes:
These trees are native to the Eastern Coast of Australia, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea. It was introduced to Florida in the early 1900's, becoming widely established and is now considered an invasive pest species. It has an unusual trait: it will produce and store thousands of seeds in closed capsules which will only be released during times of severe environmental stress or disasters (such as fire or flooding). The layers of bark have been used as paper and the bark, flowers and leaves have many medicinal uses in aboriginal culture.
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