[Hilary]

Here the wall was trying to keep the eucalyptus in or the tree was trying to escape from confinement.
I think the tree will win

I have been thinking about Eucalyptus trees in Greece and wondering  when, in the comparatively recent past, they were  brought here.

They are found extensively planted in army camps, or at least the ones I have visited.
Along the edge of the dry river bed, here in Corinth, before the bed was enclosed.
In some streets, there is a huge one near the Cathedral.
In front of the Court House, here in Corinth.
There is also a lovely avenue of them on the  road  leading into Loutraki. The road was recently widened with much care taken to protect and preserve the trees.
 

[Trevor Australis]

Goodness me, planting it there was not a great idea was it? It is not possible to say what species it is but clearly it is one of the bigger forest trees such as E. globulus Tasmanian Spotted Gum or perhaps E. camaldulensis River Red Gum. The wall will definitely lose - it already has! What a shame more of the smaller species are not more widely available.

The big gum trees were often planted to soak up water from boggy lands that bred mosquitoes; also to shade roads, and to supply firewood.

[JTh]

Re your question about when eucalyptus was introduced into Greece, I found this:

'GREEK WIKIPEDIA:
In Greece we find Eucalyptus globulus that reaches 80 meters. Eucalyptus was introduced in Greece by the botanist and scholar Theodore Orphanides 1862... Grown mainly in southern Greece and Macedonia , located in forests and gardens.'

I know that quite a few eucalyptus trees were planted in Halkidiki for energy production around 25 years ago, as a result of an EU-supported projct. I found a report, probably from 1999-2000: EUCALYPT INTRODUCTION AS ENERGY CROP (http://www.blt.bmlfuw.gv.at/vero/veroeff/0797_Eucalypt_introduction_e.pdf)

'2.1.5 Greece
During the last decade perennial energy crops (giant reed, miscanthus, cardoon,
switchgrass, eucalyptus and black locust) have been cultivated in several sites throughout
Greece. The cultivation of energy crops has taken place only in experimental or
demonstrative fields and has been supported by EU and national projects. The total
planted area (1989-1999) of eucalyptus for the use as energy crop is 0.5 ha, the level of
activity is research and the achieved yields are 18-24 odt/ha/year. [12]'

Those who got support are now allowed to harvest, but as far as I now, most of the trees have been left undisturbed, acording to a friend.

[Hilary]

wow you have done your/ my homework
Very interesting
!862 is quite early in modern Greek history when you consider the state didn't come into being until 1832

[JTh]

Theodore Orphanides became the first professor in Botany 1848 when he was appointed professor at the University of Athens. He  discovered more than fifty new species  on the Greek mountains, there are quite a few plants named x.orphanidea or x.orphanidis. He was quite a character, I believe, he was in conflict with Theodor von Heldreich for many years, and I have read that he was such an avid plant collector that he managed to eradicate Biebersteinia orphanidea almost completely.

I wonder how storm-resistant eucalyptus trees are? We had what was announced as extreme weather, with very strong winds and heavy rains at the end of October in Halkidiki. In addition to the floods, several trees went down, like the big eucalyptus in one of our neighbour’s garden. The trunk snapped about 1.5 m above ground and the top fell into our friends’ garden, luckily without crushing a small building nearby. When I look closer at the remaining stump, I see there is a black part where the break is, it could have been affected by fungi etc.

_Z250075 Fallen eucalyptusd.jpg by JorunT, on Flickr

[Trevor Australis]

A good many of the bigger Eucalypts are very well known in their homeland for unexpectedly shedding big, heavy branches, especially during still, hot weather. This is thought to be the result of stress induced by drought and heat and is a mechanism by which the trees can quickly reduce the demand for water caused by transpiration. Sometimes the impacts are disastrous with cars being crushed by roadside trees, people killed or buildings severely damaged. River Red Gum E. camaldulensis is shallow rooted and can be over-turned by high winds or severe erosion on river banks. NOT GOOD GARDEN TREES.

[Fermi]

... River Red Gum E. camaldulensis is shallow rooted and can be over-turned by high winds or severe erosion on river banks. NOT GOOD GARDEN TREES.

We are surrounded by them as we are in a valley of the Campaspe River (which can be reduced to a gravel road during severe droughts!) and the seedlings come up everywhere.
We are slowly clearing eucalypts from around the house because of the risk of them exploding if we get a fire - there are worse things than trees falling over!
cheers
fermi

[Alisdair]

When we were looking round South Australia gardens at the MGS AGM there, we were told that E. camaldulensis is known as the Widow Maker, because of its branch-dropping habit!