Acacia melanoxylon - Web page Navigation - Australian Blackwood , Blackwood Page

Australian blackwood, also known as Acacia melanoxylon, is a highly valued evergreen tree native to southeastern Australia. It is a popular choice for furniture, musical instruments, cabinets, and boatbuilding thanks to its decorative timber. Its sapwood ranges from straw to grey-white while the heartwood is golden to dark brown with chocolate growth rings. The timber is generally straight grained, with some possible cupping if boards are inadequately restrained. Other uses include wood panels, tools, inlayed boxes, wooden kegs, and decorative veneers. However, the tree is also known as a noxious weed in some locales, including Portugal's Azores Islands and parts of Tasmania. The twigs and bark can be used to poison fish while indigenous Australians derive an analgesic from the tree. This plant prefers well-drained soil and cannot grow in the shade.