What causes blue stain on pine trees?
About Blue Stain Pine (Beetle Kill Pine) Beetle Kill Pine is the result of blue stain fungus that spreads from bark beetles to Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir, and Whitebark Pine trees. The blue stain pine fungus works symbiotically with the beetles by turning the tree wood into nutrients.
What is a blue pine tree?
The blue pine is a conifer found in and around South Asia. It was first described by botanist Nathaniel Wallich of the Kolkata Botanical Gardens after whom the binomial name of this tree is given. Needles (Leaves): Arranged in fascicles of 5, about 4.72-7in (12-18 cm) long, flexible, blue-green in color
Is blue stain pine eco-friendly?
Affordable, eco-friendly blue stain pine is all that is left behind. Over the past decade forests in the Western United States have slowly been dying and turning from green to red. This is caused by mountain pine beetle infestation.
Do blue stain fungi affect the treatability of southern pine lumber?
Blue stain fungi have no effect on the treatability of Southern Pine lumber and stained lumber may be treated to guard against decay and termites
What causes blued pine?
The coloring of Blue Stain Pine most commonly occurs from a fungus carried by the Mountain Pine Beetle. The beetle bores into the wood, infecting the tissue with fungus, which softens it and makes it easier for the beetle to burrow and lay its eggs.
Does blue pine stain well?
1:063:10Incorporating Blue Stain Pine in Your Woodworking Projects - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo this pine is just as strong as pine it doesn't have blue stain in it. Once.MoreSo this pine is just as strong as pine it doesn't have blue stain in it. Once.
Why is beetle kill pine blue?
The beetle bore into the tree, lay their eggs, and cut off the flow of nutrients & water, killing the tree from the inside out. A fungus from the beetle is introduced into the tree and discolors the wood with a distinct blue tint.
Is there a blue pine tree?
One of the tallest blue-colored pine trees is the Colorado blue spruce, which can grow up to 75 feet tall and spread to 20 feet wide. If you're looking for a blue-colored pine tree, spruce will give you a variety of options to choose from.
Is Blue Pine a hardwood or softwood?
It is easy to cut with a scroll saw and shapes quickly. Care must be taken when sanding because it is a soft wood, and be sure to wear a dust mask. I frequently use blue pine in intarsia. There are many variations in the coloring, from slight gray streaking to solid gray.
Is Blue Pine good for furniture?
Blue pine wood furniture will definitely stand out from other pieces of furniture in your home and will have a unique story behind it as well. Blue pine furniture has a rustic, timeless feel to it, and there's no other wooden furniture quite like it.
Can beetle killed trees be used for lumber?
“Because of the low moisture and sap content in standing dead wood, saws and chippers do not perform as well when working with green timber,” Loeffler said. “Logs from beetle-killed trees result in lower-grade lumber and the byproduct – wood chips from milling – also may be less desirable.”
Can pine beetle trees be used for lumber?
Mountain pine beetle-affected wood can be used for anything from standard framing lumber to value-added wood products. The beetles carry a fungus that leave a blue or grey stain; which does not affect the wood's strength properties, as long as the dead trees are harvested in a timely fashion.
What stain looks good on blue pine?
Staining. By staining Beetle Kill Blue Pine, you can add even more personality to this gorgeous wood. Choosing the right stain will bring out the character and personality of the wood, making it perfect for floors, walls, cabinet or even tables and other furniture projects you may have.
Where is blue pine found?
Pinus wallichiana - A.B. Jacks.Common NameHimalayan Blue Pine, Bhutan pine, Himalayan PineHabitatsThe dominant species in drier areas, it is also found in secondary forest in wetter areas to 4300 metres[51].RangeE. Asia - Himalayas from Afghanistan to S.E. Tibet.Edibility Rating(2 of 5)Other Uses(3 of 5)6 more rows
What trees are naturally blue?
Here are some of the trees with needles that appear to be blue....Spruce TreesBlue Spruce AKA Colorado Spruce. ... 'Baby Blue Eyes' Spruce. ... Skylands Spruce. ... Kosteri Spruce.
What are the uses of blue pine?
Blue pines provides multiple uses such as fuel wood, torchwood, leaf litter, and NTFPs. Blue pines protects water, soil, infrastructure and climate risks. erosion and floods, and also act as wind break for farmer's agricultural fields.
What does blue pine look like stained?
0:091:37T&G Blue Stain Pine - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe reason blue stain pine is so popular is because of the variety of colors. Expect to see whitesMoreThe reason blue stain pine is so popular is because of the variety of colors. Expect to see whites grays blues and even reds mixed in to the wood.
What does blue on lumber mean?
What makes the lumber blue? Blue stain is a common cause for the discoloration of lumber. Certain dark-colored microscopic fungi cause a bluish or grayish discoloration in the sapwood of the tree.
Is there blue stain for wood?
Blue wood stain is an oil-based, water-based, or gel stain available in blue, mainly fast-drying formulations. People love it, particularly for how it accentuates the wood grain, making the project look unique and beautiful.
What is blue denim pine?
Blued Pine is any one of several species of pine, which have been affected with a fungus Grosmannia clavigera which turns part or all of the surrounding wood fiber blue.
Where does Blue Stain Pine come from?
A lot beetle kill pine comes from outside of Colorado because our state doesn’t have many sawmills, due to its rugged landscape and inaccessibility. We try our best to source as much from the state as we can. Sometimes, though, the lumber does travel, but you can still save CO2 by using beetle kill pine because tons of it will be burned if not otherwise used.
Why use blue stain pine?
Even though the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic has a devastating impact on our eco-system, using Blue Stain Pine is eco-friendly as it helps clean up the mess left behind. Healthy trees have an integral role in taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis. After dead trees fall to the ground they begin to release all the carbon dioxide that they have stored during their lifetime. This pollutes the air and creates the well-known “greenhouse effect”. With the massive amounts of fallen trees that the mountain pine beetle leaves behind the amount of carbon dioxide being released is almost ten-fold. This is equal to decades of transportation emission released.
How Did This Beetle Kill Pine Epidemic Start?
Mountain pine beetles are not a new species and have in fact been around for over a hundred years. With excessive climate changes bringing about warm er temperatures these insects are surviving winters when previously they did not. When temperatures dip below freezing the mountain pine beetle larvae cannot survive. The pests are taking over our woodlands even though there are ways to control them. There are preventative sprays and pesticides that homeowners can apply to the base of pines on their wooded properties.
Why is Beetle Kill Pine lumber eco-friendly?
There is ongoing debate about the best way to prevent bark beetle damage, but one thing is certain: it’s better to recycle the wood than to burn it and release more CO 2. Millions of acres of dead trees must be cleared to prevent forest fires, and that is why there is a big push to make blue stain pine the wood of choice for new housing projects. By choosing beetle kill pine, you simultaneously get beautiful wood and help recycle some of the trees that will otherwise be burned .
What is The Future Of The Mountain Pine Beetle?
And with higher temperatures across the globe the climate will continue to support the life and longevity of the insect. The focus for forest conservationists has turned to harvesting, reducing forest fuels, and regrowth instead of eliminating the mountain pine beetle.
How does blue stain pine help the environment?
So where does the eco-friendly part come in? By consumers using Blue Stain Pine for wood projects and wood construction, they are helping to reverse this atmospheric pollution by creating a call to action to remove these dead trees. If fallen beetle kill pine trees are harvested within 5 years of its death it prevents the release of the carbon dioxide and at the same time creates space for new tree growth to begin.
What causes beetles to kill pine trees?
Beetle Kill Pine is the result of blue stain fungus that spreads from bark beetles to Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir, and Whitebark Pine trees. The blue stain pine fungus works symbiotically with the beetles by turning the tree wood into nutrients. Healthy trees would usually expel the beetles by producing resin, but cycles ...
What is blue pine treated with?
Blue pine has been treated with synthetic pyrethroids to resist borers and termites. The treatment is usually water-based, and better for the environment than many other treatments. Blue pine treated timber.
Where is red pine used?
Red pine is used in northern Australia and sometimes in NSW. It impregnates the timber, rather than being an envelope treatment. Hazard level of blue pine: H2 (south of the Tropic of Capricorn). Find out more about hazard levels. Download the hazard levels and chemical treatment types chart.
What pests are repelled by blue pine?
Pests repelled by blue pine: Borers and termites. Typical uses of blue pine: South of the Tropic of Capricorn, blue pine is used in dry situations indoors and above ground. It is used for purposes such as. framing. LVL/plywood.
Why is my pine stain blue?
Blue stain is caused by a fungus (m old). It doesn't matter if the stain is caused by a beetle, stacking green boards together to encourage the fungus, pine logs cut in the summer and staining in the yard or in stacks of stickered pine. Once you kiln dry it there probably will be no problem as long as the wood stays dry.
Why is blue stained pine not allowed in England?
On another forum someone brought up that blue stained pine is not allowed to be sold in England because of health hazards. Most of what I have read today says there is no health hazards associated with use in construction.
What causes blue stain?
People (some and not all) are indeed allergic to fungi spores and not just mold or mildew spores. From the original questioner: Actually it does matter. Blue stain is caused by a fungus (mold).
How to keep blue stain pine from getting moldy?
Now let air blow on it and water re-wet it then you have a new event not a recurrence of an old one. Putting a finish on it will help the wood from gaining moisture and keep mold spores out of the pores. But mold will grow on paint and some finishes. Mold will grow where there is enough moisture and the temp is right and there is some air. Spores are ever present any where the wind blows and all surfaces are coated with them. The wood is not the problem.
Why is my school blue?
The blue is caused by a fungus. As such, some people may have allergies to fungi and their spores. Have you heard of schools being closed due to fungi? Be warned.
Do blue stained wood spores exist?
Spores are present in the air. Spores are not present inside the blue stained wood. So if you made paneling or flooring form blue stained wood there would be no more spores on the wood then in the air. There are more spores in carpet then anywhere else not counting all the bad chemicals to make it.
Does sanding wood release spores?
Planing and sanding will certainly release spores, but if the wood is sealed (sealed with respect to fungi spores so that they could not get past this finish) then I would not expect any problems. (Note: The earlier postings about this topic did not mention sealing the wood).
What are pine trees?
Pines are resinous trees that are related to other types of conifers such as fir trees, cedars, and spruces. Different types of pine trees grow in many different environments that include cold regions in North America, rain forests, and hot sandy deserts.
What type of pine has a bluish green bark?
Scots (Scotch) pines have bluish-green short needles. Scots (Scotch) pine trees are stunning evergreen conifers that have thick scaly brown bark, bluish-green needles, and small red to tan cones. Scots pines generally have a forked trunk that gives the medium-sized pine 2 flat masses of foliage.
What is the tallest pine tree?
The sugar pine is the tallest of the pine trees. Also called the sugar cone pine, this massive tree is the tallest species of pine in the world. Sugar pines also have the longest cones of any tree in the Pinaceae family. This pine species gets its common name from the sweet resin in the tree.
How tall is a lambertiana pine tree?
Being the tallest of the pine trees, the subgenus lambertiana grows up to 270 ft. (82 m). However, their average size is between 130 and 195 ft. (40 – 60 m). Slender pine needles grow in bundles of 5 and can measure up to 4.14” (14 cm) long. The long woody dark brown cones can grow up to 20” (50 cm) long.
How tall do white pine trees grow?
Pine tree identification. Eastern white pines are a tall species and grow to up to 230 ft. (70 m). Their cones are long and slender growing to 6” (16 cm). The eastern white pine has pine leaves made up of clusters of 5 pine needles.
How big do pine trees get?
These majestic pines grow to between 100 and 110 ft. (30 – 35 m) and they have wide trunks up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) in diameter. Dark green needles are about 8” (20 cm) long and grow in bundles of three.
How to tell if a pine tree is fir or pine?
Pine trees can be identified by their needle-like leaves, seed-bearing cones, and reddish-brown or gray bark. Another identifying feature of pine trees is their egg-shaped cones that hang down from branches.
What makes the lumber blue?
Certain dark-colored microscopic fungi cause a bluish or grayish discoloration in the sapwood of the tree. However, not all blue stains are blue. Common stain shades can be blue to bluish black or gray to brown. Sometimes, the stain coloration in lumber may appear as red, yellow, orange, or purple.
Where can blue-stained lumber be used?
Because blue stain does not detract from the strength properties of dimension lumber, blue-stained lumber can be used for exactly the same purpose as non-stained lumber. Just be certain that the lumber has a grade mark accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC), which identifies the grade, moisture content, inspection service, species, and mill identification number.
What is it… blue stain or mold?
Blue stain is not mold. However, for a simple test to determine whether or not a piece of lumber is blue-stained or growing mold, lightly rub the affected surface of the wood. Mold grows on the surface and can be brushed off or smeared, where as blue stain penetrates deep into the wood and cannot be removed.
Can stained lumber be pressure-treated?
Blue stain fungi have no effect on the treatability of Southern Pine lumber and stained lumber may be treated to guard against decay and termites
What is the biology behind blue stain in beetle kill pine?
The term symbiosis comes from the Ancient Greek “syn” — “with” — and “bíosis” — “living” — and is the close and often long-term interactions between different biological species. Often this interaction is obligate, in that neither can live without the other.
What is blue stain fungus?
The symptoms and signs of blue stain fungus are a blue-gray discoloration of sapwood in wedge shapes of recently killed trees. Trees of which we harvest sustainably to hand craft our Blue Stain Pine Flooring and wall paneling. The discoloration arises from the deep pigmentation of the fungus.
How do pine beetles kill trees?
How they kill. Pine beetles kill trees by boring through the bark into the phloem layer on which they feed and in which eggs are laid. Female beetles initiate attacks, producing attractants that cause more beetles to come to the site, and then they stage a mass attack.
What tree do mountain pine beetles attack?
As beetle populations increase, the beetles attack the largest trees in the outbreak area such as high-risk lodgepole pine stands that are more than 80 years old with an average diameter of more than 8 inches. The mountain pine beetle begins attacking most pine species on the lower 15 feet of the trunk.
What is the beetle that attacks pine trees?
The mountain pine beetle begins attacking most pine species on the lower 15 feet of the trunk. They need adequate food, found in large-diameter trees, for their population to build up. After the larger lodgepole pines are killed, beetles infest smaller and smaller trees, where phloem is thin and excessive drying occurs.
How does blue stain fungus help beetles?
This is its means to travel to new trees. The fungus helps the beetle by stopping the tree from producing its natural defense resin, and the beetles are hence able to mine and lay eggs while avoiding the tree’s defenses.
How many miles of trails are affected by mountain pine beetles?
According to the USDA, the mountain pine beetle and fungus has impacted trees more than 1200 miles of trails, 4,600 miles of road, and 47,000 acres of developed recreation sites over 6.3 million acres in Montana, Colorado, and southeastern Wyoming. The MPB is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America.
