Karri Gum – Eucalyptus diversicolor

(Karri)

 Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as Karri, is native to the wetter regions of southwestern Western Australia.

In South Africa, these trees have been planted for timber on a large scale in the area of the Cape Province.

The Tree

Karri is a slow growing, evergreen tree, and under good conditions can reach a height of up to 58m.  This tree can further grow to over 80 metres making it one of the tallest trees in the world.

It has white to cream bark that turns brown as it matures and is shed. The whitish trunk beneath takes on a range of colours from white to grey to deep brown.

The leaves are dark green on top and lighter underneath, and grow to a length of 90–120 mm and 20–30 mm broad.

The cream-coloured flowers occur in groups of seven, each flower measuring about 18–28 mm in diameter.  Flower occur in spring and summer.

The fruits are squat and barrel-shaped, with numerous small dry seeds. The fruit is up to a 1 cm in length.

Karri gum honey is very popular for its light color and delicate flavor.

Properties

Karri timber has an attractive appearance. The heartwood varies from reddish browns through to pale pink hues. The colour tends to darken with age. The sapwood is a creamy white.

Woodworking Properties

Karri wood is a beautiful mahogany colour, which saws well but shows a tendency to split when cut into planks.  It is moderately dense, strong, tough and hard, and difficult to work.  It glues and finishes well.

Using the Wood

With its durability and distinctive pinkish hues it is suited for a broad range of applications.  It is used mainly for construction, it is very popular for the manufacture of indoor and outdoor furniture.  

Karri is used for flooring, decking, paneling and internal joinery. It is used extensively for construction, framing, joists, shipbuilding, sleepers, and supporting beams in mines and roofing timbers, as it can be milled in long lengths uninterrupted by knots.

 

Source:  Wikipedia

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