Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Plantation species? Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Eucalyptus citriodora Trade Name Lemon scented gum Family Name Myrtaceae Common Names Eucalyptus, Lemon eucalyptus, Lemon scented gum, Spotted gum, Spotted iron gum Plantation species? Yes Regions of Distribution Africa, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, Brazil, Congo, Fiji [Polynesia], Fiji, India, Madagascar, South Africa Common Uses Agricultural implements, Artificial limbs, Axles, Baseball bats, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: framing, Boat building: planking, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Broom handles, Brush backs & handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Charcoal, Construction, Cooperages, Decks, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture, Handles, Handles: general, Handles: woodworking tools, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Ladders, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Medicinal use, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Shafts/Handles, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes, agricultural implements Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Occurs naturally only on the central and northern coasts of Queensland, Australia, but does well in much of Africa, Brazil, California, Hawaii, India and even Portugal. Heartwood Color Yellow Brown Orange Red White Purple Tan Pink Green/grey Pale brown Greenish to greyish Dark brown Brown Light brown Grey brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey White to yellow Wide Whitish Well defined Cream Up to 2 inches (5 cm) wide Grain Wavy Straight Figure Interlocked Variable (figure) Closed Even Other (figure) Fiddleback (figure) Wavy Straight Interlocked Variable figure Other figure Fiddleback figure Texture Medium Fine Coarse Coarse Medium to coarse Medium Luster Low Medium Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin streaks Gum canals Natural Durability Moderately durable Susceptible to insect attack Durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Resistant to marine borers Perishable Very durable Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Moderately durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack by marine borers and termites Good weathering properties, well suited for exterior applications. Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Dermatitic effects Drying Defects Distortion Checking Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Splitting Moderate surface checking Moderate collapse and honeycombing Moderate twist/warp Slight collapse and honeycomb Collapse Checking Reconditioning is not recommended because of the possibility of opening up existing checks. Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Variable results. Easy Apt to degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 60-70 m Tree height is greater than 70 m Comments The tree is reported to yield good honey, and the leaves contain oil which is used for medicinal purposes. The species is closely related to Spotted irongum (Eucalyptus maculata ). Blunting Effect Slight effect Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Fairly easy to very easy Good results Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moderate gluing properties May require surface treatment for best results Easy to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mortise Seasoned wood with interlocked grain may chip in mortising operations Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good moulding properties Occasional chipping when working seasoned wood. Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Ease of planing is moderate Easy to plane Chipping may occur in seasoned material due to interlocked grain. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is highly resistant Sapwood is treatable Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Moderate working qualities May tear when working with hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good in both routing and recessing. Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to screw Screwing yields satisfactory results Fairly good characteristics Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to turn Seasoned material with interlocked grain may chip Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Good Moderate Painting Good results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Satisfactory results Very good results Staining Finish is generally good Finish is generally satisfactory Stains well Strength Properties Max. crushing strength = high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu.ft Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = small Max. crushing strength = very high Hardness (side grain) = medium Hardness (side grain) = hard Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12903 19490 psi Crushing Strength 1117 1583 psi Density 52 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1913 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6600 9595 psi Shearing Strength 2287 psi Static Bending 8546 10800 psi Stiffness 2036 2416 1000 psi Toughness 241 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.62 0.65 Weight 56 48 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 907 1370 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 78 111 kg/cm2 Density 833 kg/m3 Hardness 867 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 464 674 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 160 kg/cm2 Static Bending 600 759 kg/cm2 Stiffness 143 169 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 277 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.62 0.65 Weight 897 769 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % References Ali, M.O., Yakub, M.D. and Bhattacharjee, D.K.,1972,Physical and mechanical properties of Toon, Bhadi and Eucalyptus,Bangladesh FRI, Chittagong Bulletin 3 Timber Physics Series Alston, A.S.,1966,Powder Post Beetle Lyctus Species,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.6 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 Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Boas, I.H.,1947,The Commercial Timbers of Australia - Their Properties and Uses,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Melbourne 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.,1972,The Mechanical Properties of 56 Fijian Timbers,Australia C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.,62 Chinchole, P.R., Salgiya, S.C.,1971,Anatomical and Chemical Characteristics of Indian Hardwoods with Special,Reference to their Suitability for Pulp: Part IV Eucalyptus citriodora,,Terminalia tomentosa, Strychnos niuxvomica,Indian Pulp and Paper 26(1/6) pp7-13 Fiji Forestry Department,1967,The Properties and Potential Uses of the Exotic Species 2- Lemon Scented,Gum (E.citriodora) A Summary of C.S.I.R.O. Investigations,Fiji Timbers and their Uses No.24, Department of Forestry, Suva, Fiji Fiji Forestry Department,1981,The Properties and Uses of 43 Indigenous and Exotic Timbers,Fiji Forestry Department, Fiji Timbers and their Uses No.71 Hillis, W.E. and A.G. Brown, Editors. 1984. Eucalyptus for Wood Production. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Academic Press, Australia. 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 Poynton, R.J.,1957,Notes on Exotic Forest Trees in South Africa (Second Edition, Revised,South African Forestry Department Bulletin No.38 Queensland Department of Forestry,1987,Timber Species - Spotted Gum (Eucalyptus maculata, E. citriodora, E.,henryi,Queensland Deparment of Forestry, Timber Utilisation Branch, Timber,Species No. 14 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 Shukla, N.K. and Rajput, S.S.,1983,Physical and Mechanical Properties of Eucalypts grown in India,Indian Forester 109(112) 933-43 Smith, W.J., W.T. Knyaston, M.L. Cause, and J.G. Grimmett. 1991. Building Timbers - Properties and Recommendations for their Uses in Queensland. Technical Pamphlet No. 1. Queensland Forest Service, Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, Australia. 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