White cypress trees
Also known as Callitris glaucophylla or Callitris glauca.
Location
The highest value timber grows inland, west of the Great Dividing Range, in the Western Region of NSW. Extensive forests are also found in southern Queensland and northern NSW.
Size
It can grow to between 7 and 30 metres in height and 45 cm in diameter
Identifying features
White cypress has a straight trunk. Its bark is hard, deeply furrowed and dark grey, but lighter on large trees and pinkish brown on newly exposed areas.
Timber
It is a softwood. It may be yellow or brown, with many dark knots, and has a distinctive resinous smell (similar to the smell of a surfboard). White cypress pine is very durable and resistant to decay, termite and borer attacks. It has a fine grain.
White cypress cones
Uses
It is good for house framing, weatherboards, poles, posts, flooring and furniture. The bark produces a resin called sadrac, which is used to make confectionery and pharmaceuticals. The resin can often be seen exuding out of recently felled trees. White cypress is not favoured for paper pulp, because of its many knots and resin present, which produces paper of poor strength.
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