Wood Age or Tree Age? Radial Variations in American White Oak(Quercus alba) Durability

摘要

White oak heartwood is important as a durable material for outdoor exposures as well as for cooperage. Extractives are important for both applications and variation in extractives across the tree radius exist. This variation could be due to changes inthe heartwood produced by trees as they mature or because of chemical changes after the extractives are formed. In five American white oak trees, the heartwood closer to the pith was less resistant to fungal decay. The radial pattern was not correlatedto total extractive content but was similar to the concentration of individual extractive components. These data support an explanation of heartwood durability reduction related to aging of the wood.