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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Syzygium jambosoides Trade Name Variegated Apple Family Name Myrtaceae Common Names Variegated Apple, Yasi yasi Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, Fiji Common Uses Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Crossties, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Stools Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Heartwood Color Yellow Green/grey Purple Orange Reddish brown Purple tinge Pale brown Dark brown Sapwood Color Yellow Paler than heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Closed Figure Often interlocked, irregular, or wavy Generally plain in appearance Figure shows flame-like markings Texture Medium Moderately fine and uniform Luster Medium Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Moderately durable Moderately resistant to decay Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Slight end splitting Slight cupping Severe surface checking Moderate end spitting Moderate cupping All degrade can be prevented by weighing down stacks Ease of Drying Weighting stacks at the beginning of seasoning is recommended Requires carefully controled drying to prevent degrade especially in back sawn boards Dries slowly At the end of drying a high humidity treatment is recommended to relieve drying stresses Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Comments The genus Syzygium is represented by a large number of species which are grouped and marketed collectively as PNG Water gum. The largest representation of species in the genus is in the forests of Papua New Guinea. As might be expected, there is a wide variation in mechanical and physical properties, especially in density within the group. General mechanical and physical properties are presented here for the group. It should be noted that although the information is indicative of the properties of the group, it should be used with the understanding that individual species properties may differ significantly Blunting Effect Interlocked slightly to moderately Boring Material with interlocked grain requires sharp cutting edges Generally good Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Good gluing characteristics Movement in Service Moderate stability Moderate movement after manufacture Nailing Splitting is frequent near edge of board Possible if prebored Nailing properties are rated as moderate Planing Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Areas of interlocked grain may chip and pick-up Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Easy to machine Sanding The sanding finish is generally good Veneering Qualities Some water gum logs are sliced into decorative veneers Steam Bending Moderate Polishing Good results Staining Stains well Requires no grain filler Strength Properties Resists denting and marring Hardness = medium Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = very high The species has very high bending strength, and is much stronger than Teak in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). It resists denting and marring about as well as white oak or birch Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9501 19110 psi Density 40 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1480 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4719 10094 psi Shearing Strength 2381 psi Stiffness 2019 2313 1000 psi Toughness 73 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.54 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 668 1343 kg/cm2 Density 641 kg/m3 Hardness 671 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 331 709 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 167 kg/cm2 Stiffness 141 162 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 84 cm-kg References Bolza, E., Kloot, N. H. 1963. The Mechanical Properties of 174 Australian Timbers. Technological Paper No. 25. Division of Forest Products, Center for Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia Eddowes, P. J. 1961. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea - Their Properties and Uses. Office of Forests, Department of Primary Industry, Forest Products Research Center, Papua New Guinea.