The Xylothèque of a Tree Lover

Eucalyptus trees are pyrophytes. Strangely, some plants need fire and even create favorable conditions for it themselves. That is the case with this tree, whose emissions of oils, carpet of leaves, and stance all favor the onset and propagation of fire.

Specimens of this tree are capable of reaching the loftiest heights. In California, where it is from, they can exceed 330 feet (100 m), the record being held by a tree 380 feet (116 m) tall.

This species is originally from North America. The properties of its wood made it highly prized for the production of bows by indigenous people, particularly the Osage Nation.

This native North American tree was introduced to France by Jean Robin, who was Henri IV's gardener. In fact, the oldest planted tree in Paris is a locust, planted in 1602 by that same gardener in the city's botanical garden.

Its remarkable longevity, with several 1,000-year-old specimens having been reported, its tortuous trunk, its hard wood, its silvery leaves, and its cultivation in the Mediterranean region for about 6,000 years all make this tree a symbol of the Mediterranean

Today, the apple tree is probably the most cultivated species. We owe its cultivation to the painstaking selection process carried out by brown bears! Among the wide range of sizes, shapes, and flavors, bears chose the best of them to eat, thereby participating in their reproduction and distribution.