Eucalyptus Line Traditional Geocache
StarGazersToo: Sorry. Neighbors and city keep destroying this cache.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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This microcache is located in a quiet part of Huntington Beach
Central Park. In the spring the trees bear bright red flowers
highly desired by resident and migrating hummingbirds. Their mating
dances, steep dives and pull-ups and their defense of their
territory results in spectacular multi-bird acrobatics. You do
not need to bushwhack or harm any landscaping to find this
cache. Park hours:5am-10pm. Please be sure to securely replace
the cover!! WATCH OUT FOR MUGGLES!!
The grove of Eucalyptus trees in the area was decimated by the
Australian red gum psyllid in 1998, losing all their leaves due to
the larvae of the bug and the virus it carried. Bare trees all
summer seemed to portend loss of the forest the next year. However
the trees won out due to the importation and release of psyllid
specific wasps in 1999-2000, and with the trees gradual immunity to
the virus of the psyllid. The most readily recognisable
characteristics of Eucalyptus species are the distinctive flowers
and fruits. The name Eucalyptus means "well-covered"; it describes
the bud cap. This cap forms from modified petals and falls off as
the flower opens. Thus flowers have no petals, decorating
themselves instead with many showy stamens. Specimens in the
Australian mountain are among the tallest flowering trees in the
world at 92 metres tall, making them the tallest of all flowering
plants; other taller trees such as the Coast Redwood are all
conifers. The Australian Ghost Gum Eucalyptus papuana is also
termed the "widow maker", due to the high number of pioneer
tree-felling workers who were killed by falling branches. Many
deaths were actually caused by simply camping under them, as they
shed whole and very large branches to conserve water during periods
of drought. For this reason, one should never camp under an
overhanging branch. An essential oil extracted from eucalypt leaves
contains compounds that are powerful natural disinfectants and
which can be toxic in large quantities. On warm days vapourised
eucalyptus oil rises above the Australian bush to create the
characteristic distant blue haze of the Australian landscape.
Eucalyptus oil is highly flammable (trees have been known to
explode) and bush fires can travel across the crowns. Eucalyptus
oil is readily steam distilled from the leaves and can be used for
cleaning, deodorising, and in very small quantities in food
supplements; especially sweets, cough drops and decongestants. The
nectar of some eucalypts produces high quality honey. The ghost
gum's leaves were used by Aborigines to catch fish; soaking the
leaves in water releases a mild tranquiliser which stuns fish
temporarily. Eucalypts support the larvae of a number of
Lepidoptera (butterfly) species . Log only; bring a pen or pencil.
Parking at N33.42.050 and W118.00.638.
Additional Hints
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