Pixie bush

Eremophila oldfieldii

Pixie bush is a small tree up to 4 m tall with branches developing low on the stem. The bark is rough, and dark grey-brown. The species is common in the Goldfields and northern Wheatbelt, and is found near the coast between Cervantes and Carnarvon. It extends into the Murchison and Gascoyne.

Wood description [more info]
Heartwood is brownish with distinctive grain patterns. The sapwood is yellowish.

Wood density [more info]
Green density is about 1055 kg/m3, air-dry density about 850 kg/m3, and basic density about 710 kg/m3.

Shrinkage [more info]
Tangential and radial shrinkage are about 3.4 and 2.3 per cent respectively.

Workability [more info]
Goldfields craftsmen rank pixie bush as poor for machinability and stability, average for boring, screwholding,sanding and finishing, and good for turning.

Durability [more info]
-

Strength group and properties [more info]
Green and dry strength groups are (S4) and (SD4). The brackets indicate conservative provisional ratings based on the air-dry density. The more important strength properties based on the strength groups are given in the table below.

Property	Units	Green	Dry
Modulus of Rupture	MPa	62	94
Modulus of Elasticity	MPa	10700	14000
Max Crushing Strength	MPa	31	54
Hardness	KN	-	-

Uses [more info]
Use is mainly for craftwork and woodturning.

Availability [more info]
Limited availability because of the scattered nature of the resource.