Tension/compression

[Stephen Blair]

gum trees grow with a twist, keep it smple fellas:biggrin:

[daltontrees]

Eucalyptus is an Angiosperm, i.e. a flowering plant and not a conifer. True to the general rule it produces tension wood to react to stem bending and inclination. For formal experimental proof on Cider Gums see http://www.sid.ir/en/vewssid/j_pdf/80420060102.pdf

The original question related to branch strengthening. You only have to try and get a Silky through the top of a branch union to guess that the wood there is denser, and apparently that's due to extra cellulose, which is basically what tension wood is. I haven't noticed eccentric rings on Eucalyptus branches but will look the next time. All the Eucalyptus around here have died in the last few cold winters so it might be a while before I get to work on a big one again.

[broonie]

isbn=97835404117349783540411734: Comparative Wood Anatomy: Systematic, Ecological, and Evolutionary Aspects of Dicotyledon Wood - New & Used Books & Textbooks at Waterstones marketplace

one in the states for £122 ish

[broonie]

Comparative Wood Anatomy: Systematic, Ecological, and Evolutionary Aspects of Dicotyledon Wood, (3642074383), Sherwin Carlquist, Textbooks - Barnes & Noble

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

mine was 140