Eucalyptus globulus (Bluegum )

Scientific Name
Eucalyptus globulus

Trade Name
Bluegum

Family Name
Myrtaceae

Common Names
Bloekom, Blue gum, Bluegum, Eucalipto, Eucalyptus, Eurabbi, Eurabbie, Fever tree, Kupoora maram, Kurpoora maram, Southern blue gum, Tasmanian blue eucalyptus, Tasmanian blue gum, Tasmanian bluegum

Plantation species?
Yes

Regions of Distribution
Africa, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ethiopia, Hawaii [US], India, South Africa, United States

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Beams, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Chemical derivatives, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Domestic flooring, Factory construction, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Joists, Ladders, Light construction, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Pallets, Parquet flooring, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Porch columns, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Railroad ties, Rough construction, Stakes, Structural plywood, Structural work, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Utility plywood, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes, Wheels

Environmental Profile

Distribution Overview
Native to the open forests of Tasmania, southern Victoria and New South Wales in Australia. It is one of the most widely cultivated of Australia’s native trees. It can be found in parks and gardens in many parts of Australia and is well established overseas (eg. Algeria, Brazil, France, India, Spain and Portugal). In California it is so well known that many regard it as a native Californian species.

Heartwood Color

Sapwood Color

Grain

Bees wing’ curl figure is fairly common.

Texture

Luster

Natural Growth Defects

Natural Durability

Sapwood is liable to be attacked by powder-post beetles and termites.

Odor

Kiln Schedules

Moisture content of 20% is recommended

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying

Quartersawn stock is reported to degrade to a lesser degree

Kiln Drying Rate

Tree Identification

Tree Size

Product Sources

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Boring

Carving

Cutting Resistance

Gluing

Mortising

Moulding

Movement in Service

Nailing

Planing

Clear stock generally responds readily to planing operationS/There may be some grain tearing in planing material with interlocked grain, but clear stock generally responds readily to planing operations.

Resistance to Impregnation

Resistance to Splitting

Response to Hand Tools

Routing & Recessing

Interlocked grain may interfere with routing

Sanding

Screwing

Turning

Veneering Qualities

Steam Bending

Polishing

Strength Properties

Numerical Data

References
Australia – Forestry and Timber Bureau,1957,Forest Trees of Australia,Australia Interior Department, Forestry and Timber Bureau

Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48

Banks, C.H.,1954,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with Particular Reference to those,grown in the Union of South Africa,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No. 24 pp.44-65,[South,African Forestry Journal]

Banks, C.H.,1970,The Durability of South African Wood and Wood Base Building Materials,South African Forestry Journal,No.75

Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers – the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research

Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1963,The Mechanical Properties of 174 Australian Timbers,C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.25

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 8 Australasia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Chilean Forestry News,1941,Propiedades Fisicas y Mecanicas de las Maderas Chilenas,Min. de Terras y Colonizacion Chile, Dept. de Bienes Nacionales (Seccion,Bosqye, 103pp

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Dave Faison. Into the Woods. Personal Communication, 1993.

Dudek, S.,1981,Lesser Known Liberian Timber Species,German Agency for Technical Cooperation Germany

Elliot, C.S.,1959,Eucalyptus in Argentina,Unasylva 13(3) pp119-23

France – C.T.F.T.,1965,Note sur le sechage des bois presentant du collapse tel que Eucalyptus,globulus,C.T.F.T. Information Technique NO.219

Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London

Gay, F.J., Et al,1955,Standard laboratory colonies of termites for evaluating the resistance of,timber, timber preservatives and other materials to termite attack.,C.S.I.R.O., Australia Bulletin,No.277

Gutierrez Oliva, A., Plaza Pulgar, F.,1967,Caracteristicas fisico-mecanicas de las maderas Espanolas. (Physical and,mechanical properties of Spanish timbers.,Min.Agric./Dir.Gen Montes/Instituto Forestral de Investigaciones,y,Experiencias, Madrid pp102

Guyana Forest Department,1967,Recopilacion de Propiedadas mecanicas de Maderas Creciendo en,Chile,Inst. For. Chile Nota Tecnica,8

Hall, N., Et al,1970,Forest Trees of Australia,Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra

Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32

Hillis, W.E. and A.G. Brown, Editors. 1984. Eucalyptus for Wood Production. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Academic Press, Australia.

Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.

Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1

Kingston, R.S.T., Risdon, C.J.E.,1961,Shrinkage and Density of Australian and other South-West Pacific Woods,C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper No.13

Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12

Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory

Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98

Logan, W.E.M.,1946,An Introduction to the Forests of Central and Southern Ethiopia,Imperial Forestry Institute, Oxford Paper No.24

Murira, K.,1984,Natural Durability Tests of Tanzanian Timbers 1955 – 1982,Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, Timber Utilisation Research Centre,,Moshi.

Nation Research Council,1980,Firewood Crops Shrub and Tree Species for Energy Production,National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C.

Poynton, R.J.,1957,Notes on Exotic Forest Trees in South Africa (Second Edition, Revised,South African Forestry Department Bulletin No.38

Purkayastha, S.K.,1982,Indian woods: Their identifications, properties and uses, Vol. IV,Myrlacene to Symploceae,Controller of Publications, New Delhi

Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London

Sallenave, P.,1971,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Deuxieme,Supplement,C.T.F.T.

Sao Paulo – Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas,1956,Tabelas de Resultados obtidos para Madeiras Nacionais,Inst. Pesq. Tec. Sao Paulo, Brazil Bol., No.31(2nd Ed.)

Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1

Sekhar, A.C.,1967,Some Indian Timbers Equivalent to Foreign Timbers,Van Vigyan 5(1&2,pp18-24

Shukla, N.K. and Rajput, S.S.,1983,Physical and Mechanical Properties of Eucalypts grown in India,Indian Forester 109(112) 933-43

Simpfendorfer, K.J.,1975,An Introduction to trees for South Eastern Australia,Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia

Skolmen, R.G.,1974,Some woods of Hawaii, properties and uses of 16 commercial species,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest,and Range Experiment Station, General Technical Report PSW_8

Streets, R.J.,1962,Exotic Forest Trees in the British Commonwealth,Clarendon Press Oxford

Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7

The Australian Timber Journal & Building Products, Merchandiser,1969,Timber Durability and Preservation,Supplement to Australian Timber Journal 35(4) Tech. Timb. Guide No.8

Thomas, A.J.,1955,Tasmanian Woods,Forestry Department Tasmania, Bulletin No.1

Wallis, N.K. 1956. Australian Timber Handbook. Sponsored by The Timber Development Association of Australia. Angus & Robertson, Ltd., 89 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, Australia.