MYRTLE WOOD Myrtle is a treasure from the coastal forests of the American Northwest. It has a cream colored sapwood transitioning into heartwood that can range from tan to olive to gold, often with black steaks following the grain.
What is a Myrtlewood tree?
Myrtlewood grows in the Pacific coast region of southern Oregon and areas south throughout the coastal ranges of California. It is a strong, dense wood prized for its wide array of colors and figure common to the specie.
What is myrtle wood used for?
Myrtle wood is commonly used for fine furniture, veneer, cabinetry, turned objects, and others. You can find Myrtle heartwood colors vary, from light orange-brown to gray or olive, while the sapwood looks pale. Myrtle is less reliable in resistance because heart rot is common.
What is Oregon myrtle wood?
Myrtle that I will discuss here is Oregon Myrtle or also known as California Bay Laurel and Pepperwood. This is a type of hardwood with the scientific name Coastal regions of southwest Oregon and central California, which is distributed in the Coastal regions of southwest Oregon and central California.
What is the best grade of Myrtlewood?
Myrtlewood grows in the Pacific coast region of southern Oregon and areas south throughout the coastal ranges of California. It is a strong, dense wood prized for its wide array of colors and figure common to the specie. Our Select & Better Grade is the clearest board or graded for a minimum of 84% clear face cuttings.
Is myrtlewood a hardwood?
The Myrtlewood Tree is a very special broadleaf hardwood which is also an evergreen species.
What is myrtlewood used for?
Oregon-myrtle's fine-grained, relatively heavy wood is easily machined into woodenware (salad bowls, spoons), gifts, and novelty items. Other uses include gunstocks, trim, cabinetry, paneling, and veneer.
How do I know myrtlewood?
The leaves are 3 to 5 inches long, 1 inch wide, pointed at the tip, medium green, glossy on top, and dull light green beneath. The crushed leaves have a powerful aromatic scent which can be used as a sure identification.
Is crepe myrtle wood good for anything?
It is a relatively hardy plant and requires only a minimum of maintenance. Its beautiful flowers make it a stunning ornamental plant, and its rather hard wood makes it useful for crafts.
Is Myrtle Wood rare?
Because this timber is both rare and stunningly beautiful, it is used only rarely in the construction of acoustic guitars. Typically, instruments created using myrtlewood are expensive “one-offs,” built to order.
Is Myrtle wood good for burning?
Though it is hardwood, crepe myrtle burns like softwood. It burns very rapidly, giving off 23.8 million BTUs of heat in one short burst while creating a substantial amount of smoke. If you are looking for campfire wood, crepe myrtle will work nicely but isn't the first choice as indoor firewood.
Does myrtle wood float?
Green Myrtlewood is so heavy it won't float.
Where does myrtle wood come from?
This broadleaf evergreen, known officially as the Umbellularia californica, grows only on a narrow strip of inland land along the Pacific Coast, ranging from northern California to Oregon's southern coast. “The myrtle tree is amazingly distinctive,” Greif said.
What can I do with myrtle nuts?
The nuts have 40 to 60% of waxy fats that resemble cocoa butter. When properly roasted and ground, the myrtle nut powder can be mixed with water to make a drink that resembles hot chocolate. By mixing the nut powder with powdered sugar an acceptable chocolate substitute results.
What wood should you not burn?
Pine, fir, and spruce: cone-bearing trees make for a beautiful sight in the forest, but their wood shouldn't make up the bulk of your firewood pile, especially for indoor fires. Beneath their bark, conifers have a sticky, protective substance called pitch or resin that you won't find in trees like oak or maple.
What wood is toxic burning?
Poisonous Wood Burning poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac and poisonwood creates smoke with irritant oils that can cause severe breathing problems and eye irritation.
Is crepe myrtle wood toxic?
The Crape Myrtle is not only a beautiful plant to have in your landscape, but it is also family-friendly and safe to be around children. No plant part is toxic or poisonous from the bark, foliage, flowers, berries, and seed pods.
Is Myrtle the same as bay laurel?
In Oregon, this tree is known as Oregon myrtle, while in California it is called California bay laurel, which may be shortened to California bay or California laurel....UmbellulariaClade:MagnoliidsOrder:LauralesFamily:LauraceaeGenus:Umbellularia (C.G.D.Nees) Nuttall15 more rows
Where does Myrtlewood come from?
This broadleaf evergreen, known officially as the Umbellularia californica, grows only on a narrow strip of inland land along the Pacific Coast, ranging from northern California to Oregon's southern coast. “The myrtle tree is amazingly distinctive,” Greif said.
Where are myrtle trees found?
Mediterranean regionThe aromatic common myrtle (M. communis) is native to the Mediterranean region and the Middle East and is cultivated in southern England and the warmer regions of North America. In Greco-Roman antiquity, the common myrtle was held to be sacred to Venus and was used as an emblem of love in wreaths and other decorations.
Does Myrtlewood float?
Green Myrtlewood is so heavy it won't float.
What is myrtle wood?
Myrtle that I will discuss here is Oregon Myrtle or also known as California Bay Laurel and Pepperwood.
The properties of myrtle wood
You can find Myrtle heartwood colors vary, from light orange-brown to gray or olive, while the sapwood looks pale. Myrtle is less reliable in resistance because heart rot is common.
Myrtle wood advantages
Fairly easy to work: Myrtle is a fairly easy wood to work, although a few things can happen and be quite challenging.
Myrtle wood Disadvantages
Low resistance: It seems like you shouldn’t choose Myrtle if you need wood with good resistance, because we don’t think this wood has that.
Myrtle wood for veneer
Myrtle is sometimes available as veneers, and we don’t think you need to make it manually. Most wood does work for this, and we can’t deny that. Even exotic wood can be made into veneer, although it is not recommended.
Myrtle wood for cabinetry
This is an excellent option if you’re making cabinetry, although low rot resistance may be a significant problem. However, we hope that you can work around this in various ways to make the wood more resistant to rot.
Myrtle wood for fine furniture
It is also one of the woods that can be used for fine furniture. Of course, it was because of Myrtle wood’s quality and also because of its high price.
Where does myrtlewood grow?
Lang. Email. PDF. Twitter. Facebook. Oregon-myrtle ( Umbellularia californica) grows along the Pacific Coast from Douglas County, Oregon, to San Diego, California, in the Coast and Klamath mountains and along the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. The tree is also known as California-laurel, California bay laurel, pepperwood, ...
What is Oregon Myrtle used for?
Other uses include gunstocks, trim, cabinetry, paneling, and veneer. Oregon-myrtle and its wood products provide a small, but significant source of income for small mills and crafters in southwest Oregon and California.
How tall is Oregon Myrtle?
Oregon-myrtle grows under various topographic and soil conditions if moisture conditions are adequate. The Oregon Champion tree, 4.7 feet in diameter and 88 feet tall, is near Lobster Creek, Curry County, Oregon. In the right setting and climate, Oregon-myrtle, with its handsome willow-like evergreen leaves, clusters of yellow flowers, and relatively large yellow-green fruits, makes a fine ornamental planting.
Is Oregon Myrtle a good plant?
In the right setting and climate, Oregon-myrtle, with its handsome willow-like evergreen leaves, clusters of yellow flowers, and relatively large yellow-green fruits, makes a fine ornamental planting. The odor of the aromatic plant is pungent enough to cause sneezing and headaches when leaves are crushed and sniffed.
