Tea Tree Logs: desirable, valuable?

pubgoff · 14th October 2009, 09:03 PM

I salvaged some beautiful old-growth Australian Tea Tree logs. Does anyone know if the wood is desirable or valuable? I'd like to get them in the hands of someone who can use them. Information/links are welcome.

Thank you!

TrevMcRev · 14th October 2009, 10:45 PM

It looks like Coastal Tea Tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), it grows naturally in my area and is desirable as a "tree" the wood is nothing special though it is quite sculptural. Maybe a woodturner near you would be interested..

pubgoff · 15th October 2009, 03:48 PM

I am near the coast, so it could be that variety. How large do these trees in your area (your continent that is) grow? There are several around me, but none grow taller than 10 meters. Rather than growing up, they twist & grow horizontal to the ground. It's possible that they were trimmed as bonsai trees though...

The diameter of the end grain logs in my pics are about 1/4 of a meter. Do you have a guess as to how old they might be?

Thanks for your reply!

TrevMcRev · 15th October 2009, 09:27 PM

That is exactly the natural characteristics of that species. They will often even "lay down for a rest" on the ground, but still live & healthy, and can stay like that for decades more.

At that size i'd guess anywhere from 30-50 years old. They don't get big very quick. Remnant trees around here that could be 100+yo might only be 80-100cm.

jomoco · 16th October 2009, 03:46 AM

Because I've hedged a leptospermum maze adjacent to the Lindberg Airport runway here in San Diego, this thread caught my interest.

And while digging into leptospermum history a bit, I came across the source of their english name of tea tree. None other than the great Captain Cook found himself and his crew in dire need of it's medicinal properties when it's leaves were brewed into a tea.

I had no idea of it's astonishingly wide array of uses from flavoring meat cured in the smoke of it's wood, to miracle honey from bees that gather it's nectar!

Leptospermum scoparium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3787867.stm

If they ever expand the Lindberg Field runway, that giant leptospermum hedge at MCRD will get snuffed for sure.

jomoco

14th October 2009, 09:03 PM	#1
pubgoff I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Piedmont, CA USA Posts: 2	Tea Tree Logs: desirable, valuable? I salvaged some beautiful old-growth Australian Tea Tree logs. Does anyone know if the wood is desirable or valuable? I'd like to get them in the hands of someone who can use them. Information/links are welcome. Thank you! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Therrin; 15th October 2009 at 07:58 AM. Reason: pic embed

14th October 2009, 10:45 PM	#2
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	Re: Tea Tree Logs: desirable, valuable? It looks like Coastal Tea Tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), it grows naturally in my area and is desirable as a "tree" the wood is nothing special though it is quite sculptural. Maybe a woodturner near you would be interested..

15th October 2009, 03:48 PM	#3
pubgoff I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Piedmont, CA USA Posts: 2	Re: Tea Tree Logs: desirable, valuable? I am near the coast, so it could be that variety. How large do these trees in your area (your continent that is) grow? There are several around me, but none grow taller than 10 meters. Rather than growing up, they twist & grow horizontal to the ground. It's possible that they were trimmed as bonsai trees though... The diameter of the end grain logs in my pics are about 1/4 of a meter. Do you have a guess as to how old they might be? Thanks for your reply!

15th October 2009, 09:27 PM	#4
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	Re: Tea Tree Logs: desirable, valuable? That is exactly the natural characteristics of that species. They will often even "lay down for a rest" on the ground, but still live & healthy, and can stay like that for decades more. At that size i'd guess anywhere from 30-50 years old. They don't get big very quick. Remnant trees around here that could be 100+yo might only be 80-100cm.

16th October 2009, 03:46 AM	#5
jomoco Sappling Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 43	Re: Tea Tree Logs: desirable, valuable? Because I've hedged a leptospermum maze adjacent to the Lindberg Airport runway here in San Diego, this thread caught my interest. And while digging into leptospermum history a bit, I came across the source of their english name of tea tree. None other than the great Captain Cook found himself and his crew in dire need of it's medicinal properties when it's leaves were brewed into a tea. I had no idea of it's astonishingly wide array of uses from flavoring meat cured in the smoke of it's wood, to miracle honey from bees that gather it's nectar! Leptospermum scoparium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3787867.stm If they ever expand the Lindberg Field runway, that giant leptospermum hedge at MCRD will get snuffed for sure. jomoco

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