Replies

1. 
   BenM | Mar 06, 2009 05:11am | #1

   I call them broccoli trees.  They are probably members of the Eucalyptus family.  There are dozens and dozens of species in the Eucalyptus including Red Gum which is an excellent furniture wood.  Too bad I can't get in the USA.

1. 
   DonfromUtah | Mar 06, 2009 07:17am | #2

   "There are dozens and dozens of species in the Eucalyptus including Red Gum which is an excellent furniture wood."

   I saw a chart recently of almost 750 Eucalyptus species.

1. 
   eddiefromaustralia | Mar 06, 2009 10:43pm | #3

   HI Don,There's a stack of eucalypts - I've got no idea but it'd have to be in the thousands or close to it - about 200 are common timbers.Ben,I haven't seen the movie. Did they look like a boab? If so, they're not a common tree and the trunk holds water. WOuld'nt be an ideal timber.http://www.ozoutback.com.au/postcards/postcards_forms/wa_bungles/Source/12.htmCheers,eddie

1. 
   BenM | Mar 07, 2009 12:11am | #4

   I haven't seen the movie yet but from the original poster's description I'm pretty sure it's one of the eucalypts.  I thought the boabs were African, didn't know you could find them in Australia.  Definitely would not be the only weird thing that grows there.

2. 
   user-67934 | Mar 07, 2009 12:53am | #5

   Yeah, that's the tree!  I'd never seen anything like that before.  It totally makes sense that they hold water like a cactus or palm and the wood isn't very good.  Thanks for the help.

3. 
   WillGeorge | Mar 09, 2009 03:01pm | #8

   a A Baobab Tree..

   If I were to describe the baobab, I would say that it looks like it has been picked out of the ground and stuffed back in upside-down. I think the very old folks thought the same way... It was bad tree for some reason and God planted it upside down!

   Hardly.. I think God thought he/she made a mistake and planted as thought best at the time but was in a hurry onto other more important things?

   As in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFGvNxBqYFI

   Those folks knew about real life!

   Edited 3/9/2009 8:08 am by WillGeorge

1. 
   Lapun | Mar 10, 2009 02:09pm | #9

   In severe drought conditions I have seen farmers (ranch hands) chop boab ( aka 'bottle trees') in the scrub, and while debarking have to compete with the cattle for swinging room. Man, those cattle are into the dripping fibers until there is nothing left.The state foresters encouraged access into national parks for this purpose.One thing I like about the gum trees is that they keep their foliage all through the year, not like the gaunt and bleak forests of deciduous trees I have seen in USA.I learnt my trade using various species of gum for house framing, we needed to develop saw teeth shape and set to work it, wet or dry. One of the species is called 'ironbark'- for good reasons! The rough sawn varieties were worth at least a couple of splinters every day.Lapun.

2. 
   boilerbay | Mar 08, 2009 04:50pm | #7

   And apparently the Koala Bear thinks he needs everyone. Picky little devil.

2. 
   jackplane | Mar 07, 2009 02:29am | #6

   If they are eucalyptus or gum trees, these are not good woods for millwork or cabinetwork , IME. They grow in a spiral pattern and have too much internal twist, which causes stability problems.

   Expert since 10 am.