Michelia spp.

Champaca

Family: Magnoliaceae

Other Common Names: Saga, Sagawa, Sanga (Burma), Chempaka (Malaya), Sandit, Hangilo (Philippines).

Distribution: Indo-Malayan region and extending into the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Mostly confined to hilly regions and mountain slopes. Cultivated extensively.

The Tree: Straight cylindrical boles to 50 ft; with trunk diameters of 24 to 36 in.; may reach a height of 150 ft with diameters of 7 ft.

The Wood:

General Characteristics: Heartwood light yellowish brown to olive brown; sapwood whitish to light brown, fairly distinct from the heartwood. Grain straight to interlocked; texture rather fine to medium; lustrous; without characteristic odor or taste.

Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.43; air-dry density 31 pcf.

Mechanical Properties: (2-in. standard)

Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength

(%) (Psi) (1,000 psi) (Psi)

Green (38) 8,010 1,195 4,020

9% 9,250 1,390 6,420

Green (38) 17,665 1,440 3,825

12% 11,465 1,650 5,960

Janka side hardness 650 to 800 lb for dry material.

Drying and Shrinkage: Generally reported to season well with little or no warping and checking. No data available on kiln-drying schedules. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 3.2%; tangential 5.2%; volumetric 8.2%.

Working Properties: Easy to work with hand and machine tools, takes a good finish. Specimens with whitish deposits dull cutters. Easy to peel into veneers.

Durability: Reported to be moderately durable and resistant to attack by termites.

Preservation: No information available.

Uses: Furniture, carvings, general light construction, plywood, carvings and turnery, cabinetwork, patternmaking, joinery.

Additional Reading: (11), (38), (47), (48)

M 150 282-3Logs are delivered to a sawmill in southern Nigeria. African mahogany

(mostly Khaya ivorensis) is in high demand on overseas markets. Export of logs fro

this region, as well as from most other tropical areas, is being restricted.

M 150 282-2Band mills in Ghana are designed to handle logs 5 feet and more in

diameter. Obeche or Wawa (Triplochiton scleroxylon) logs yield lumber favored for

joinery and millwork.

M 150 273-14In many areas of the tropics, fast-growing species are being introduced

future supplies of fuel wood and industrial wood. Batai (Albizia falcataria) is

a favored plantation species in the Philipines.