Scientific Name
Euphorbia tirucalli
Trade Name
Heji ye mukaka
Family Name
Euphorbiaceae
Common Names
Heji ye mukaka, Ingotsha, Kalli, Kanyan’anya, Lanka sij, Milk bush, Milk hedge, Nawahandi, Nevli, Rubber hedge, Rusungwe, Sehud, Seyr, Shazaunglethnyo, Thuvar, Tiru kalli, Tsokete, Tsokotela, Yele gulla
Regions of Distribution
Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe
Common Uses
Boxes and crates, Furniture, Model airplanes
Heartwood Color
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Orange | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Pink | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| White to cream |
Sapwood Color
| White | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Same as heartwood |
Grain
| Even | ||||||||||||
| Straight | ||||||||||||
| Figure | ||||||||||||
| Weak (figure) |
| Weak figure | ||||||||||||
| Straight |
Texture
| Coarse | ||||||||||||
| Medium |
Natural Durability
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to insect attack | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to powder post beetles | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to termites | ||||||||||||
| Non-durable | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) | ||||||||||||
| Perishable |
Toxicity
| Dermatitic effects |
Kiln Schedules
| Dry at a slow speed |
Drying Defects
| Distortion | ||||||||||||
| Splitting | ||||||||||||
| Checking | ||||||||||||
| Collapse | ||||||||||||
| Internal Honeycombing Possible |
Ease of Drying
| Moderately Difficult to Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Rapidly |
Kiln Drying Rate
| Naturally dries quickly |
Tree Size
| Tree height is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 20-30 m | ||||||||||||
| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 0-10 m | ||||||||||||
| Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm |
Blunting Effect
| Moderate | ||||||||||||
| Little |
Cutting Resistance
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw | ||||||||||||
| Easy to saw | ||||||||||||
| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy |
Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Easy to glue |
Movement in Service
| Fair to Good Stability – Medium Movement | ||||||||||||
| Excellent Stability – Small Movement | ||||||||||||
| Stable |
Nailing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Easy to nail |
Planing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Poor to Very Poor Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Planes well, to a good finish | ||||||||||||
| Easy to plane |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood is moderately resistant |
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work | ||||||||||||
| Easy to machine | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to machine |
Routing & Recessing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Screwing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Painting
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Polishing
| Fair to Good Results |
Varnishing
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Strength Properties
| Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Density | 32 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Weight | 31 | 25 | lbs/ft3 |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Density | 512 | kg/m3 |
References
Goldsmith, B., Carter, D.T.,1981,The Indigenous Timbers of Zimbabwe,Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe Research Bulletin No.9
White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London
Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13