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Of all Tasmanian's timbers,
Sassafras,
Atherosperma moschatum,
has the most variable and dynamic colouring. White sassafras, the bulk
the material available, is a beautiful and pale creamy grey to white
timber with very light brown toning. Finishing to a grey and golden
tone, it makes beautiful artefacts in solid timber and is particularly
attractive as a veneer. However, if the tree is infected with a staining
fungus, it produces black heart sassafras, a timber with distinctive
dark brown to black streaks running through the wood. To add to this
visual character, sassafras, no matter what the colour, is close
grained, light and easy to work.
Sassafras is a highly workable timber and can be polished to a very
smooth gloss finish. Prized for its spectacular contrasting colour
range, sassafras, especially black heart sassafras, is renowned in
furniture use, as a solid, a veneer, or as a laminated board. It is also
used for panelling, mouldings, joinery, veneers, cabinet making and
turnery.
While the timber is generally pale cream to white, commercial interest
centres on trees infected with a staining fungus in the heartwood. This
produces black heart sassafras that is prized for furniture and veneer
work. Sassafras is readily available as a seasoned timber, particularly
for craft purposes from selected outlets in Tasmania. This species is
not to be confused with NSW sassafras,
Doryphora sassafras.
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Sassafras growing at the ANM forest
reserve, near Maydena. |
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