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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 Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Silica Content Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Melaleuca leucadendron Trade Name Broad leaved tea-tree Family Name Myrtaceae Synonyms Myrtus leucadendron, Cajuputi leucadendron, Melaleuca cajuputi, Melaleuca leucadendron, Melaleuca minor, Melaleuca saligna, Melaleuca viridiflora, Metrosideros quinquenervia Common Names Aceite de Cayeput, Ai kelane, Al-carabutan, Atchoourgo, Balsamo de Cayeput, Baroe galang, Boes, Bottlebrush, Broad leaved tea tree, Broad leaved tea-tree, Brown tea tree, Cajeput, Cajeput oil tree, Cajeput tree, Cayeputi, Gelam, Irano, Irano elan, Iren, Itahou, Kajoe, Kajoe gelang, Kayaputi, Kayu puteh, Kayu puti, M'me, Meu, Milkwood, Niaouli, Paper bark, Paperbark tree, Poetih, Punk tree, Sa-met, Sakelan, Smach, Swamp tea tree, Tea tree, Waroe gelang, White paper bark, White tea tree, Yeon nadi Regions of Distribution Africa, Central America, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Hawaii [US], India, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Caledonia Island [France], New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, United States Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Charcoal, Chemical derivatives, Construction, Core Stock, Crossties, Decks, Decorative veneer, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Flooring, Food containers, Foundation posts, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture, Gunstocks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Mine timbers, Oars, Office furniture, Particleboard, Pile-driver cushions, Piling, Plain veneer, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rifle stock, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Structural work, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wharf construction Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Eastern Australia through Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma), but now widely cultivated in warm climates around the world. It is considered a naturalized species in southern California and Florida, thriving on wet, swampy soils. It is often found in dense, pure stands. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Green/grey Purple Red Black Reddish brown Pale brown Pinkish buff Pinkish brown Pale red to pink Greenish to greyish Dark brown Sapwood Color White to yellow Pinkish Paler than heartwood Color gradually merges into heartwood Grain Interlocked Straight Figure Wavy Closed Even Distinct (figure) Other (figure) Rippled (figure) Irregular Weak (figure) Interlocked Straight Wavy Weak figure Straight to irregular Rippled figure Other figure Has little figure Distinct figure Texture Fine Medium Coarse Fine Fine to medium Uniform Medium Coarse Luster Medium Low Lustrous Natural Durability Resistant to marine borers Very durable Durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from marine borers Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Weathering properties are excellent Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Heartwood resistant ot marine borers and termites Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content Severe Likely to have significant impact on machining Contains very highly levels of silica (0.20% to .95% of dry weight) Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rapid Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Moderate surface checking Moderate twist/warp Severe twisting/warping Severe end splitting No twisting or warping No surface checking No end splitting Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Severe surface checking Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Requires care Radial and tangential shrinkage tends to be rather large. Difficult Air-Drying under cover and mild kiln drying schedules, as well as a thorough coating of the end-grain with hot wax or glue have been suggested. Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries quickly Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Boles are typically crooked and of poor form, which makes the tree undesirable for timber production. Stumps of cut trees are reported to coppice vigorously to produce thickets which are valued commercially for fence posts and landscaping Product Sources Cajeput is described as a general purpose timber within its growing region. It is currently of little commercial importance outside its growing areas Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Produces little lumber because boles are often of poor form Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is severe Severe and rapid due to silica Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Easy Carving High silica and density may dull cutters rapidly and severely Carves well in dry condition Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Easy to saw Dulls saw-teeth rather quickly because of high levels of silica. Gluing Easy to glue Good gluing properties Mortising Mortising properties are poor due to interlocked grain Moulding Good finishing results Movement in Service Large Nailing Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to plane Planes to a satisfactory finish High density and silicon dulls cutters quickly Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Difficult to machine Good response Cutting edges become dull very quickly Routing & Recessing Routing yields good results Sanding Difficult to sand Turning Requires drying before using to prevent warping and checking Good results Veneering Qualities Drying degrade is often moderate to severe, with collapse, buckles, and splilts Moderately easy to veneer Painting Fair to Good Results Good results Polishing Good results Polishes to a smooth surface Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Volumetric = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Hardness (side grain) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Weight = very high Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Leaves contain Cajeput oil which is extracted by steam distillation and is used in the manufacture of soap and also for medicinal purposes. The tree is also a major source of honey. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11458 17322 psi Density