Traditional uses and benefits of Silk oak
- In Kenya, natives of the Kakamega Forest use the plant to treat sore throats, earache, chest problems, flu and toothache.
- In North Garo Hills, Meghalaya, NE India, bark and leaves used for headaches and dizziness.
What is oak most commonly used for?
Oak is commonly used for furniture, joinery, flooring, panelling, decking and veneers. Advantages: durable, long-lasting wood. attractive wood grain.
What kind of wood is silky oak?
Grevillea robusta, commonly known as the southern silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak, is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is a tree, the largest species in its genus but is not closely related to the true oaks, Quercus.
What does silk oak look like?
Reaching a height of 75 feet or more with a 30-foot spread, silk-oak is pyramidal to oval in shape, eventually developing a few heavy horizontal limbs and a thick trunk. The light, ferny, green leaves, silvery-white beneath, are accented by large clusters of yellow orange flowers in spring.
What is a silk oak tree?
Silk-oak (Grevillea robusta), also often called silver-oak, is a medium to large tree commonly planted as an ornamental in many warm-temperate and semitropical climates. It has been established as a forest tree in some countries and shows promise as a fast-growing timber tree.
Is silky oak valuable?
Based on early utilisation, Silky Oak has established a reputation as a quality furniture timber. This suggests that producers would have little trouble selling sawn timber for prices much higher than most eucalypt species.
Does silky oak make good firewood?
It is also cultivated for fuelwood, including firewood and charcoal, protective windbreaks and honey production.
Is silky oak toxic?
Watch out for the cyanide But you have to know which species to taste as some, including the silky oak, contain hydrogen cyanide that could make you ill. Like other grevilleas the silky oak also contains tridecyl resorcinol, which causes an allergic reaction leading to contact dermatitis.
Is silky oak good timber?
A prized timber Over the years, silky oak has also been used to make window frames because it is resistant to wood rot. Overseas, silky oak timber is still widely grown, in timber plantations and as windbreaks.
What is Grevillea used for?
The branches and twigs are used for firewood and charcoal. Poles are used for house construction in rural areas, scaffolding and rafters (Spiers and Stewart, 1992). Agroforestry. Grevillea robusta is one of the most important trees for agroforestry in the tropical highlands of Eastern and Central Africa.
Where is silky oak grown?
Silky oak (Grevillea robusta) or southern silky oak is a native Australian tree that grows naturally in northern New South Wales and south east Queensland. Contrary to its name, silky oak is not an oak. It is the tallest species of Grevillea, growing 20–30m high with fern-like foliage and brown fibres.
How long do silky oak trees live?
The Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta) is a very popular native tree in Australian gardens and can grow to 20 metres and live for up to 100 years.
Can you prune silky oak?
Prune the tree as needed as it helps elevate the foliar canopy further. Pollarding is carried out repeatedly to yield wood and regulate shading. The Silk Oak is robust and doesn't need too much maintenance. Hence, it is often used as a street tree.
Is Silky Oak a hardwood or softwood?
hardwoodSilky Oak is a medium density hardwood from far North Queensland and is often referred to as ʻLacewoodʼ in the USA.
Is Grevillea a hardwood?
Timber: Grevillea yields a medium-weight hardwood with a density of 540-720 kg/cubic m at 15% moisture content. The timber has economic potential.
Is Silky Oak good for carving?
A pair of lovely Silky Oak spoon carving Billets. Ideal for carving Eating Spoons! This is a delicious truly delicious wood to carve!
Can you stain Silky Oak?
Re: Staining silky oak dresser They don't need a finish over them, but they can mark and stain as they are not a hard coating.
How do silky oaks make sugar?
Indigenous people used to make a sugary drink from silky oak flowers by dipping the whole flower heads into water to wash the nectar off. Silky Oaks have large shallow roots that will grow towards water and can become a problem if they are growing too close to buildings or pipes.
How long do silky oaks live?
The Silky Oak ( Grevillea robusta ) is a very popular native tree in Australian gardens and can grow to 20 metres and live for up to 100 years.
What is a golden yellow flower?
It’s bright golden-yellow flowers are actually flower heads made up of around 100 small flowers. Once fully open, they produce large amounts of pollen before a seed capsule is produced. Different birds will visit the tree at different times – honeyeaters for the nectar and cockatoos and lorikeets for the seeds,
What is silky oak?
Mills describes silky oak (Cardwellia sublimis) as one of the primary cabinet timbers used in Queensland in the early 1900s. His heirloom furniture designs include handmade carvings, traditional mouldings and hardware in Art Nouveau and other styles and periods.
Why is silky oak so popular?
The hobbyists love it because it is an unusual wood. If they are building a toy or cabinet or jewelry box, silky oak stands out.”. In Australia, silky oak is a popular choice for furniture and decorative paneling, said Lachlan.
Why is silky oak called lacewood?
Australian silky oak is from the species Cardwellia sublimis and often goes by the commercial name lacewood, because of the lace-like figure found in some logs. Additional genera share the name silky oak, among them the species Grevillea robusta. The Encyclopedia of Wood offers an explanation. “The name ‘silky oak’ is given to a number ...
How tall is a silky oak tree?
Silky oak, also known as silk oak, silver oak and lacewood, from Grevillea robusta, is a medium-height to tall tree, growing to 120 feet or more.
Where does the term "silky oak" come from?
“The name ‘silky oak’ is given to a number of different genera and species in Australia and New Zealand. The name originally referred to Grevillea robusta, a native of Southern Queensland, which also occurs in New South Wales.
Is silky oak lace like?
Australia’s silky oak is lace-like, valuable and rare.
What is silky oak?
Like most other grevillea, silky oak possesses proteoid or cluster roots, which are dense and fine. These roots greatly increase the absorbing surface area and allow plants to thrive in nutrient-deprived soils. The word “robusta” refers to the fact that the timber is strong like real oak.
What is the chemical in silky oak?
Like other grevilleas the silky oak also contains tridecyl resorcinol, which causes an allergic reaction leading to contact dermatitis. The chemical is similar to the toxicodendron in poison ivy.
How long does a silky oak tree live?
A little attention at the right time will be amply rewarded with a safe and great looking tree that can live for 150 years or more. Silky oak is drought-tolerant. In dry times they often flower a bit later than their usual October blooming, providing a big splash of colour in otherwise drab and difficult years.
What is a Robusta?
The word “robusta” refers to the fact that the timber is strong like real oak. The freshly split wood has a silky texture, and a pattern and light colour resembling English oak – hence the common name “silky oak”. Grevillia robusta has a silky texture when split for timber. Shutterstock.
What to wear when handling silky oak?
Wear gardening gloves when handling silky oak, just to be one the safe side. Shutterstock
Where are silky oaks blooming?
They’re now blooming along the east coast and in some inland places – like huge orange light bulbs dominating the skyline. Silky oaks flowers are a magnet for birds and insects. Shutterstock.
Can silky oak trees survive frost?
The trees can be vulnerable to frost when young, but grow well once taller. This makes the silky oak a potential winner as climate change brings warmer, drier weather.
What is Southern Silky Oak?
Comments: Southern Silky Oak is in the Proteaceae family, and has wide rays that are characteristic of Lacewood. In its vaguest sense, the term “lacewood” is used to describe any wood that displays figuring that resembles lace, (which would technically include Southern Silky Oak).
Does silky oak cause eye irritation?
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Southern Silky Oak has been reported to cause eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Is Southern Silky Oak rot resistant?
Rot Resistance: Southern Silky Oak is rated as moderately durable to durable in regards to decay resistance, and it is also moderately resistant to most insect attacks. Workability: Overall a fairly easy wood to work with, though there may be some difficulty in planing, with tearout occurring.
What is a silky oak?
Leaves and flowers. Stamen and pistil. Grevillea robusta, commonly known as the southern silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak, is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is a tree, the largest species in its genus but is not closely related to the true oaks, Quercus.
Where does silky oak grow?
Distribution and habitat. Silky oak occurs naturally on the coast and ranges in southern Queensland and in New South Wales as far south as Coffs Harbour where it grows in subtropical rainforest, dry rainforest and wet forests.
What is Grevillea robusta used for?
Before the advent of aluminium, Grevillea robusta timber was widely used for external window joinery, as it is resistant to wood rot. It has been used in the manufacture of furniture, cabinetry, and fences. Owing to declining G. robusta populations, felling has been restricted.
What wood is used for guitars?
Recently G. robusta has been used for side and back woods on guitars made by Larrivée and others, because of its tonal and aesthetic qualities.
