USDA Forest Service
Forest Products Laboratory
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53705-2398
(608) 231-9200

Wood Technical Fact Sheet

 Schima spp.

Needlewood

Family: Theaceae

Other Common Names: Laukya (Burma), Chilauni (India), Mang-tan (Thailand), Medang Gatal (Malaysia), Chinese guger tree (Taiwan).

Distribution: Various species range from the Indo-Malayan region to Indonesia and northward to the Philippines, China, and Taiwan; common in mountain areas.

The Tree: May reach a height of 100 ft, bole straight and cylindrical; trunk diameter 24 to 30 in. Species in China up to 130 ft in height with diameters of 60 in.

The Wood:

General Characteristics: Heartwood light red, reddish brown or yellowish brown, sometimes with darker bands; sapwood whitish but gradually merging into heartwood. Texture moderately fine and even; grain straight to interlocked and irregular; luster low; without characteristic odor or taste.

Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.54; air-dry density 43 pcf.

Mechanical Properties: (2-in. standard)

Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength

(%) (Psi) (1,000 psi) (Psi)

Green (38) 7,900 1,360 3,780

14% 14,300 1,970 7,645

Janka side hardness 775 lb for green material and 1,245 lb for dry.

Drying and Shrinkage: Generally reported to be liable to excessive degrade due to warping and checking; some work in India, however, indicated good drying characteristics. No data available on kiln schedules. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 4.5%; tangential 8.5%; volumetric 20.1% (unusually high value).

Working Properties: Saws easily, works to a smooth finish, and takes a fine polish. Bark contains needle-like crystals that may be an irritant in working.

Durability: Heartwood not durable when exposed or in ground contact.

Preservation: Heartwood difficult to treat; sapwood is permeable.

Uses: Joinery, flooring, furniture components, millwork, construction work (under cover).

Additional Reading: (9), (11), (38), (47)