Red Mallee
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Common Name(s): Red Mallee Scientific Name: Eucalyptus oleosa and E. socialis Distribution: Australia Tree Size: 13-26 ft (4-8 m) tall, 1 ft (.3 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 66 lbs/ft3 (1,050 kg/m3) Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .79, 1.05 Janka Hardness: 2,490 lbf (11,060 N)* *Estimated hardness based on specific gravity. Modulus of Rupture: No data available Elastic Modulus: No data available Crushing Strength: No data available Shrinkage: No data available |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood ranges from pink to orangish red. Pale yellow to gray sapwood is sharply demarcated from heartwood. Nearly always seen in burl form.
Grain/Texture: No data available.
Endgrain: No data available.
Rot Resistance: No data available.
Workability: No data available.
Odor: No characteristic odor.
Allergies/Toxicity: Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with Red Mallee, though several other species within the Eucalyptus genus have been reported to cause various allergic reactions. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Pricing/Availability: Generally available in burl caps and sawn burl blocks. Prices are on par with other imported solid-wood burl products.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Common Uses: Turned objects, knife and gun grips, and small specialty objects.
Comments: The term mallee refers to a species’ general growth form (known as a “habit” in biology). Usually smaller and shorter than trees, mallees grow multiple smaller-diameter stems from a common root system. Because of this, most mallee species are ill suited for lumber, though they do have a propensity for burl growths that can be harvested and used for turning and other small specialty projects.
