Bay (lauris nobilis) wood

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1/15/07, 8:42 AM #1

Kevin F, New Zealand
Guest

Bay (lauris nobilis) wood

Kevin F, New Zealand

>I have a bay tree which seems to have died. All the leaves have turned brown over the past few weeks (it's the middle of summer here in Wellington, New Zealand at latitude 41 deg South). It's growing in damp clayey soil, which may not be to its liking.

It looks as though I will be taking this tree out of the garden soon. I could harvest lengths of 2 to 3 inch diameter, and one of 4 inch diameter.

What is this wood good for?

Thanks in advance

Kevin (remove numbers for email)

Re: Bay (lauris nobilis) wood

1/15/07, 10:07 AM #2

Robin Corell, Atascadero CA
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Re: Bay (lauris nobilis) wood

Robin Corell, Atascadero CA

>I think I know why your tree died. for your local those dimeteres should have been in the 5-10 cm range.

I'm in California where we have california laurl and depeding on who you belive it may or may not be called mertle in Oregon and then there may or may not be a diferent tree called california mountian laurl. My limited experiance with these as well as olive and camfor which are both in the laurl family would lead me to guess that your tree may have a rather thick sapwood and a dramatic diference in moisture content of the sap wood and heartwood.

I have had good luck drying all of these but it is important to slab the wood or cut it in such a way as to allow for a dramatic difference in shrinkage rates between the heart and sap wood. both woods are attractive and usable with little diference between them other than color once they are dry. Your limbs are on the small side but I would encourage you to save some so you will know what it is like and how to treat it when a bigger tree comes your way.

Robin Corell