Veneer cutting and drying properties of Pacific madrone

Abstract

“Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii Pursh) is a moderate-sized hardwood tree found in the Pacific coastal country from British Columbia to southern California. In California it also grows in the western Sierra Mountains below 4,000 feet elevation. The tree is also known as madrono and madrona. It is locally used for fuelwood, fence posts, charcoal, and to a minor extent for lumber and veneer. The latter uses are limited because of the tendency of the tree to grow with poor form except in dense stands. The tree attains a diameter of 2 to 4 feet (2) 2 and a height of about 80 feet on good sites (5). The wood is heavy, fine textured, and shows little distinction between early wood and late wood. The heartwood is generally reddish brown and the sapwood yellow white in color (1). The figure in the wood is due largely to pigment color differences in the heartwood.”

Citation

null 1965. Veneer cutting and drying properties of Pacific madrone. Research note FPL no. 094. Madison, WI : USDA, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 7 pages.