Karri
Eucalyptus diversicolor
These 60 metre tall giants of the forest are among the world's tallest trees. They live for centuries and most of the large ones are three or four hundred years old.
Karri is a slow growing hardwood that varies in color from a rich reddish-brown to a creamy straw and has an attractive dense grain which producing beautiful durable timber with natural luster. according to the Timber Research & Development Association, Karri is more dense and has similar durability qualities to teak. The tree yields a warm unique reddish-brown wood, which is moderately heavy, very strong and not easy to work with. End products are well-finished and the wood takes a high polish. It bends fairly readily to a radius of 150mm. Karri is ideally suited to construction work as well as to the manufacture of indoor and outdoor furniture.

Redgum
Corymbia calophylla (formerly Eucalyptus calophylla)
Also known as Marri, Redgums grow in diverse areas such as the southwest to north of Geraldton, and east into the wheatbelt. It is a medium to tall tree, up to 40m in height, and produces an amazing display of flowers and yields copious amounts of nectar and pollen. The nectar attracts lots of birds, insects and other fauna and is a favourite for planting in parks, roadside stops, and gardens. Generally used for woodchipping, the Redgum often has "kino" or gum veins which has restricted its use as a feature timber. Kino is a gummy substance produced by the tree in response to injuries, such as from insects, fungi or fire. Although all eucalypts produce kino, some species produce more than others. Recently such markings have been viewed as features where as in the past they were seen as flaws.

Sheoak
Allocasuarina fraseriana
Widespread in forests of the south west and isolated pockets north up to Jurien Bay, the Western Australian Sheoak (also called "The Fraser Sheoak"), is a medium to small tree growing up to 15 metres tall. The timber has a similar appearance to european oak and is relatively easy to work with. The wood splits easily into sheets and was often used by early settlers for roof shingles and beer barrels . Today it is mainly used for furniture and small decorative items, mainly due to the cost of the timber, as the Sheoak is a smaller sized tree. Strips of sheoak can be bent into various shapes in a process called "steam bending" which is used by artists creating unusually designed furniture. The timber itself is an attractive dark red to brown colour while the sapwood is pale yellow. The texture is moderately fine and even with prominent medullary rays.

Tuart
Eucalyptus gomphocephala
A large hardwood growing 25-40m tall, the Tuart can only be found on the strip of land between the western coast and the Darling ranges in the state's south west. The heartwood is a pale yellow-brown. The grain is interlocked and the timber is fine textured and even, and is rich in tannins. In the past, Tuart timber was recognised for its great strength, solidity and durability and was used to craft whim and wagon wheels, journals for propeller shafts, keels, decking for wagons, telegraph pegs, bridge supports, as well as general building purposes and flooring, even for tool handles. Another feature was that bolts and other metal objects were not corroded by the timber. After World War II, a tuart mill was built at Ludlow especially for railway carriage construction. Tuart is now not commercially available, although occasional logs may be supplied from private property.
In the last few years, the Tuart woodlands south of Mandurah have suffered a steady decline. This is linked to an increase in wood boring insects, the reasons for this are unclear, but under investigation. See CALM's webpage on this issue. This tree is also grown extensively in Israel and the Mediterranean region.

Peppermint
Agonis flexuosa
Peppermint is a small tree, up to 10m in height and is a common understory tree in tuart and jarrah forests. It can be found from the coastal strip north of Perth, down to Cape Leeuwin and east to Bremer Bay. The heartwood of the Peppermint is light brown with darker streaks, and the sap wood is paler. Because of its small size the timber is used only for craftwood and general purpose items. Because Peppermint is not harvested from state forests it is only available from private properties in limited amounts.

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