Thread: Irish Strawberry tree.

No I haven't, just attracted by the peculiar name. For anyone interested:

Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)

Irish Caithne or Suglair (family - Ericaceae)

Description: Shrubby tree with laurel like evergreen leaves and warty red berry that looks like a strawberry. 12m. Max age: not known.

Where found: In immature oak woods and developing woodland, rocky place. Native to South West Ireland especially near Killarney and in Mediterranean, believed to be relic from before last ice age.

Phenology:

Flowers Leaves Fruit Ripen Fall
Autumn Autumn
(Fruit takes a year to ripen)
Similar species: Arbutus andrachne (Cyprus Strawberry Tree) and Arbutus menziescii (Pacific Madrone) have a similar appearance and fruit and have been planted as park trees and shrubs.

Uses past & present: Pink fine grained and very hard. Food and drink - The strawberry like berries are edible but with unpleasant flavour although birds like them and spread the seeds.

Propagation and growth: Grown from seed. Growth is slow at first and plants are tender.
Timber

If you use the timber you just have to do it over and over, to be sure to be sure..

Al

Originally Posted by ozwinner

If you use the timber you just have to do it over and over, to be sure to be sure..

Al

Thanks Al, been along day and I needed a laugh.

Pink fine grained and very hard

Thanks Harry, thats what drew my attention, I might have to set them aside and see what I can come up with.

H.

Hello to you all from Ireland.
If you would like to find out more about the Killarney Strawberry Tree, its properties , and its location within Ireland, then you can find that here.........
Killarney Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)

Welcome Irish Gardener..

Thanks for the info, and the reminder that I have " a lump" of this stuff waiting to be turned...

Himzo.

Originally Posted by himzol

Welcome Irish Gardener..

Thanks for the info, and the reminder that I have " a lump" of this stuff waiting to be turned...

Himzo.

himzol, have you or any of the other members turned any of this wood before.
I realise it is a hardened wood, but I am wondering does it lighten or darken much upon turning, and whether the graining looks well in a turned product.
I happen to know someone who has a piece of this wood, which I could avail of if needed.
If the turned wood matches the beauty of the reddish brown trunks when enhanced by cracked bark, then we are on to a winner.

Originally Posted by Irish gardener

himzol, have you or any of the other members turned any of this wood before.
I realise it is a hardened wood, but I am wondering does it lighten or darken much upon turning, and whether the graining looks well in a turned product.
I happen to know someone who has a piece of this wood, which I could avail of if needed.
If the turned wood matches the beauty of the reddish brown trunks when enhanced by cracked bark, then we are on to a winner.

I haven't turned any of it as yet, two reasons...

One the wood is not quite dry enough yet.. I'm not good enough to turn green yet.

and two.. I haven't had much time for woodworking of late..

Not sure if others have done anything with it either.

H.

I used some in England to restore an Arbutus box. Its a nice timber to work with similar to working with laburnum. If you ever want to get rid of it I would be more than happy to help you out.

It is the last tree in my backyard and I am not going to chop it off to try, OK?

You sure? that's the largest Arbutus I've seen.

Yep. And it's only half grown, according to HarryII's reference.

Well there you go.........I still think 12m may be stretching it.

I just looked it up in Rowells which says " a small evergreen tree to 6 -8 m tall...."

I still think yours could be the tallest I've seen, mind you they dont really grow up here in Sydney.

Hi Himzo & Irish Gardener

I have used Irish Strawberry for woodturning. It was sourced locally here in the Adleiade Hills, so it would be very similar to your source Himzo.

I found it to have one of the highest radial to axial shrinkage ratios of any wood of have used.

What I learnt was to accept and work with this special characteristic of the wood. I turned the wood very green and thin enough so the wood warped rather than splitting. The 'half turn it while green and complete when dry' method doesn't work with this wood.

See attached photos that show the before (first 2 photos) and the after shrinkage/warpage. The time between before and after photos was less than 24 hours.

The initial colour is a creamy white sapwood, with bright pink annular rings around the hartwood and a richer plumb coloured heart, as in the photos. Unfortunately with exposure to air and sunlight, the pink oxidises to more of a red/brown over time.

Himzo, I would be getting to work on those stumps sooner rather than later.

All the best

Neil

Himzo, I would be getting to work on those stumps sooner rather than later.

Strangely enough I was looking at one of the pieces today, However the temperatures in my shed are a little on the high side.

BTW Neil that is lovely work..

H.