logoalt Hacker News

bombcaryesterday at 1:18 PM1 replyview on HN

All I know about them is they're bad railroad ties, and they explode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpH9gBsNEwI


Replies

mykowebhnyesterday at 1:24 PM

True. Although in their native Australia they grew quite straight. It's the introduced trees that grow not so straight and make bad railroad ties.

In areas where they are introduced, they also become quite invasive by practicing something called alelopathy, whereby they introduce toxins into the soil to prevent competing tree species from taking hold.

While I'm at it, Eucalyptus trees have very very dense wood which means the wood burns very hot. This makes it even worse for forest fires where Eucalyptus trees dominate.

(I knew my botany studies would come in handy someday. I just never knew when!)