Yes, sounds a little far fetched because everyone knows exotic wood only comes from rain forests or far off exotic lands right? And San Diego is a desert, a normally tree barren environment. Yet we have huge beautiful trees covering parks, freeways, canyons, backyards, etc in our wonderful city. Most of the trees here have been brought in from around the world. These have thrived and adapted to a mediterranean climate, some through shallow root systems, making the most of surface irrigation and small amounts of rain. Even though they’ve been successful in adapting and surviving thus far, the recent severe drought climate in Southern California makes our trees vulnerable to this unsustainable reality. As many of these local exotics now succumb to a changing climate, it becomes more important to utilize them as a resource.
Alder. Relatively soft for a hardwood, very stable, easy to work with, orange color knotty grain, contrasting bark clings to live edge. Good for interior.
Avocado. Relatively soft for a hardwood, very stable, easy to work with, variable, streaky color and knotty grain. Oily texture great for carving and sculpting. Good for interior and culinary applications.
Black Acacia. Very hard, durable, chocolatey grain. Similar to walnut. Good for interior or exterior.
Blue Gum. Very hard, almost always highly figured. Beeswing figure is common. Easily stained to mimic exotic woods. Used for interior furniture.
Blue Gum. Very hard, almost always highly figured. Beeswing figure is common. Easily stained to mimic exotic woods. Used for interior furniture.
Coastal Live Oak. Very hard, dramatic figure, streaking color and occasional spalting. Good for interior, and above ground exterior.
Cottonwood. Relatively soft for a hardwood, high chatoyance, honey color, easy to work with.
Italian Stone aka, Pinion. very hard for a soft wood, high sap content, straight grain with dramatic knots. Good for interior, and above ground exterior.
Liquid Ambar (Sweet Gum). Soft for a hardwood, stable, easy to work with, reddish brown color with frequent white spalting. Good for interior.
Olive. Very hard, spectatcular grain and dramatic figure, great for culinary applications,Highly aromatic. Interior and above ground applications.
Sugar Gum. Good all around interior and exterior wood. Most stable of euc. Very hard and durable, rot resistant, sometimes figured. Teak like appearance. Often interesting bark beetle tracks on the live edge. Easily stained to mimic exotic woods. Used for anything, landscaping to veneers.
River Red Gum. Very hard and durable, rot resistant, highly figured, Deep red color. Used for exterior and interior, great for butcher block.
Sugar Gum. Good all around interior and exterior wood. Most stable of euc. Very hard and durable, rot resistant, sometimes figured. Teak like appearance. Often interesting bark beetle tracks on the live edge. Easily stained to mimic exotic woods. Used for anything, landscaping to veneers.
Sugar Gum. Good all around interior and exterior wood. Most stable of euc. Very hard and durable, rot resistant, sometimes figured. Teak like appearance. Often interesting bark beetle tracks on the live edge. Easily stained to mimic exotic woods. Used for anything, landscaping to veneers.
Torrey. Relatively hard for a softwood, stable, easy to work with, straight grain with dramatic knots and occasional streaky blue stain. Good for interior, and above ground exterior.
White Ash. Medium hard, very stable, simple straight grain. Can be stained or ebonized. Good for interior.