Thread: What tree is this?

Rob the trunk tessellations (2nd Pic) lends me to think Moreton Bay Ash, but these normally only go up the trunk a bit and then smooth out into a silvery grey, smooth, gum looking bark, can't quite see if it's evident in the 3rd pic..... so not very much help really

The multiple trunks and the bark suggests it ia a Nuytsia floribunda (WA Xmas tree - if it is will sprout bright yellow flowers in a few weeks).

I have no idea what the wood is like.

Originally Posted by robduca

Sorry to keep asking but once i know what the trees are i wont need to ask again.

Just wondering if anyone can tell me what tree this is and what to expect grain/colour wise if it is good to slab? Is it a nice timber? I snapped a small branch off and it is a light coloured wood.

There are a few of these on a property i can use if it is any good to me. I am wondering if it is worth slabbing or not?

Any advise would help.

Thanks

Rob Duca

I am pretty sure it does flower yellow come to think of it.

So has anyone slabbed this before?

Originally Posted by robduca

I am pretty sure it does flower yellow come to think of it.

Then its almost certainly Xmas Tree

Originally Posted by BobL

Then its almost certainly Xmas Tree

If it is a xmas tree then it is a parasite tree and is related to the mistle toe which attacks and kills gum trees and any other type of tree which it can get its roots into. They have been known to be sucking off of host trees hundreds of meters away, as for the timber I have never seen one cut down or milled so do us all a favor and mill one. I would be keen to see what it looks like.

Oh and meant to say don't feel like you are burdoning anyone by asking Questions about these sorts of things it is what the forum is for and if no one asked questions none of us would be able to learn from the responses either.

Originally Posted by Travis Edwards

If it is a xmas tree then it is a parasite tree and is related to the mistle toe which attacks and kills gum trees and any other type of tree which it can get its roots into. They have been known to be sucking off of host trees hundreds of meters away, as for the timber I have never seen one cut down or milled so do us all a favor and mill one. I would be keen to see what it looks like.

I used to think the same but I recently found out they do not deliberately set out to attack and kill gum trees. They have a unique strategy of attaching themselves to as many hosts as possible so that they draw very little from any one host. Provided there are enough hosts around, the hosts will live just fine. If there are fewer and fewer hosts around it will draw more and more from the remaining hosts which then can harm the hosts. The reason they look like they kill their host is generally because too many other trees are removed around them. A mature stand of Xmas trees growing in virgin bush will not have any more dead trees around them than anywhere else in the same area. The host does not even need to be a tree, even couch grass is sufficient for their needs so they can thrive in WA suburban gardens. It is unfortunate that thousands have been pulled out and burnt because they are very spectacular and highly desirable trees on the international scene because they are near impossible to grow outside of WA.

I remember seeing these Nuytsias in WA and was mightely impressed by them. I did some reading on them and I concur with what BobL has said.

The problem is not the Nuytsia but the clowns who clear the land so savagely.

Originally Posted by BobL

I used to think the same but I recently found out they do not deliberately set out to attack and kill gum trees. They have a unique strategy of attaching themselves to as many hosts as possible so that they draw very little from any one host. Provided there are enough hosts around, the hosts will live just fine. If there are fewer and fewer hosts around it will draw more and more from the remaining hosts which then can harm the hosts. The reason they look like they kill their host is generally because too many other trees are removed around them. A mature stand of Xmas trees growing in virgin bush will not have any more dead trees around them than anywhere else in the same area. The host does not even need to be a tree, even couch grass is sufficient for their needs so they can thrive in WA suburban gardens. It is unfortunate that thousands have been pulled out and burnt because they are very spectacular and highly desirable trees on the international scene because they are near impossible to grow outside of WA.

Speaking of things near impossible to grow outside of W.A. when I was living there The PTB were talking about clearing the last remaining stand of Tuart trees in the world down there near Capel so that they could sand mine it. (PTB = powers that be) Tell me did they end up doing it and if so what became of the trees?

Originally Posted by robduca

I am pretty sure it does flower yellow come to think of it.

So has anyone slabbed this before?

Slab one so we can all see. I know that the wood of mistletoe can be fairly hard and in bigger lumps can get some nice colour etc. but would be keen to see some cut up. worst comes to worst you could have a bit of firewood for winter.

Originally Posted by Travis Edwards

Speaking of things near impossible to grow outside of W.A. when I was living there The PTB were talking about clearing the last remaining stand of Tuart trees in the world down there near Capel so that they could sand mine it. (PTB = powers that be) Tell me did they end up doing it and if so what became of the trees?

From what I heard and read about part approval was given and there were some trees cut down and probably turned into flooring.

Tuart is IMHO unfortunately doomed to become extinct in the wild, too much clearing of their original habitat has already produced micro climate and irreversible biological changes in the last 50 years. The tuart was probably already close to the edge before that and what we have done is just added to their demise.

It's a real pity, it's a magnificent tree and the wood is stronger than jarrah and almost as strong as karri. That whole area between bunbury and busselton will probably be suburbia within a century but mother nature will have its revenge because that area will be amongst the first in WA to go under when sea levels rise.

Yes it is Rob, very pretty timber however, whiteants can smell it for miles once its cut so where you stack it has to be strategic

Originally Posted by Travis Edwards

Speaking of things near impossible to grow outside of W.A. when I was living there The PTB were talking about clearing the last remaining stand of Tuart trees in the world down there near Capel so that they could sand mine it. (PTB = powers that be) Tell me did they end up doing it and if so what became of the trees?

Tuart grows from down here at Busselton to almost north of Perth, I would hardly call it the last remaining stand. The last true tuart FOREST is in a place called Ludlow which is in between Busselton and Capel. That area is protected however the rest of the coastal plain up to Perth is fair game. For example, the new highway from Bunbury to Perth was cleared and 3000 tonne of tuart was put up for tender. In the end those who tendered didnt want it and the whole lot was burnt The area you are talking about was mined and what tuart came off it was taken by a guy called Des Donnelly and he did cut it into flooring

Originally Posted by nifty

Yes it is Rob, very pretty timber however, whiteants can smell it for miles once its cut so where you stack it has to be strategic

Would you have a photo of the wood once milled? Would love to see what it looks like..

Thanks

Rob Duca