Thread: Natutal BLUE WOOD?

Originally Posted by Chrism3

I bought some macrocarpa which had some dark blue patches, which I assumed was from a fungus or other infection. very blue.

wow that is surprising! Any chance of some pictures?
Did you use it? I have not seen macrocapa with fungus as it’s pretty resistant to rot.

The blue patches emanate from small knots. I have thrown most of it away.
IMG_0443.JPGIMG_0442.JPG

Thanks Chris .. have not seen that in Macrocarpa but it sure is a bluish grey. As you say it could be fungal induced.
Pine wood (esp sapwood) produce a bluish stain when infected with a fungus, will post a pic if I can find some.

Meanwhile... More blue in nature ... even though its not in wood

Meet the blue carpenter bee Xylocopa violacea

https://www.australiangeographic.com...7AzfOiktaM__Og

Here is some Pine with BLUE STAIN (fungal stain in sapwood)

Blue Pine.jpg

again its yellower here than it is in reality . It is a GREY- BLUE ... more greyish but with blue tinge,

Better Pic of the Pine with Blue Stain

Blue stain.jpg

Below: Bog Puriri (Vitex lucens) an evergreen tree endemic to New Zealand. Contents.
This block was cut from a log buried with kauri for "thousands of years" but has changed colur to a grey-green-blue

Bog Piruri .jpg


Bog Piruri 2.jpg

There are large tracts of pine forest in British Columbia and other parts of North America that were decimated by the Asian Pine Beetle. Besides killing the trees the wood is stained with blue streaks by a fungus that penetrates the grain. While the industry at first rejected this wood a couple in the US realized the potential and gave it the name Denim Blue.

I don't know if the Asian pine beetle is still a problem as I haven't lived there for a long time. Don't have time to look it up right now but try Googling 'Denim Blue Pine'. I'm sure you'll find something.

Originally Posted by Cleokitty

There are large tracts of pine forest in British Columbia and other parts of North America that were decimated by the Asian Pine Beetle. Besides killing the trees the wood is stained with blue streaks by a fungus that penetrates the grain. While the industry at first rejected this wood a couple in the US realized the potential and gave it the name Denim Blue.

I don't know if the Asian pine beetle is still a problem as I haven't lived there for a long time. Don't have time to look it up right now but try Googling 'Denim Blue Pine'. I'm sure you'll find something.

Thanks for that suggestion Cleokitty. I was aware of Pine Bark Beetle in US but didn't know about the commercial woods from it. At least its being used. Pinus contorta is one species affected I believe.

Yes, as you say, there are those who are milling, selling and using this fungally effected pine wood. Here is a link to pics ...

https://www.google.com/search?q=blue...5MzFXfhUhhQfM:

Its a kinda grey-blue for sure. I wonder if anyone has used it here in Australia?

Euge

edit PS: I lived and worked at UBC in Vancouver for 1.5 yrs but it was before the beetle

Here is a small block of Berrigan I cleaned up an hour ago. Berrigan (Eremophila longifolia) is a small inland tree.
It shows nice colour variations pinks, gold, yellow-green and blue-grey streaks. Nice I thought., maybe Ironwood would be interested?

Again the colours shown here are "washed out" and dull. They are much brighter in reality

Berrigan.jpg

Berrigan 2.jpg

Only way to see how blue Dogwood can look is when it is freshly cut - dries off to green eventually . . .

Yes mate, I agree, best colour is when this wood freshly cut. I find it a bluish-grey turning more greenish in time & exposure.
Its got great colour variations that I like and you would too as turner.
Thanks for the pic ... its excellent