Eucalyptus: Golden Gate Park Near Speedway Meadow, 1920s 

The eucalyptus trees from the original plantings in the 1870s were extremely successful. William Hammond Hall reported that they grew 18 feet in the first four years after planting. They remain some of the dominant canopy trees in the park. While they have a mixed reputation in California, the trees accomplished what Hall had hoped, helping to establish an impressive forest in a short time.  

Image courtesy of OpenSF History/wnp27.6954