Wood Species Guide
Rose Gum
Eucalyptus grandis
Also called: Flooded Gum, Grandis, Eucalyptus Grandis
What Rose Gum looks like
Heartwood is a light pinkish brown to reddish brown. The sapwood is paler but not always easy to separate.
Grain and texture
Grain is straight to interlocked, with a medium, even texture and a moderate luster.
Working Rose Gum: planing, cutting and gluing
Works easily with hand and machine tools and glues, stains and finishes well. It shrinks a lot while drying and moves more than most hardwoods in service, so buy well-dried stock and let it acclimate.
Finishing Rose Gum: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Takes stain evenly and accepts oil and film finishes well. The pores are moderate, so a thin seal coat before epoxy keeps the pour clear. It darkens slightly toward red-brown with light.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Decay ratings vary between sources, and insects attack it readily. It is best kept indoors in Florida, in air conditioning, with both faces finished to slow movement.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Rose gum is one of the most widely planted eucalypts in the world, and much of the plantation wood ends up as flooring, millwork and furniture parts. It is easy to work but restless, so give it time to settle before final milling. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Rose Gum
Flooring, millwork, furniture, plywood, boatbuilding and construction lumber.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List. Most supply is plantation grown.
Safety and toxicity
- No common reactions reported
Few reports. Nothing specific is documented for this species, but related eucalypts can irritate skin.
- In the shop
- Normal dust collection + mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
No reactions are reported beyond normal wood dust irritation, though some related eucalypts are known irritants. Use dust collection and a mask.
Rose Gum in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Rose Gum listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
Similar woods: Eucalyptus
- EucalyptusIn stockEucalyptus spp. (exact species varies; see note) Eucalyptus is a big group of Australian trees now grown worldwide, Florida included. Our slabs are heavy, reddish-brown...
- JarrahEucalyptus marginata Jarrah is a heavy, deep-red eucalyptus from Western Australia with a long record outdoors and in marine work....
- KarriEucalyptus diversicolor Karri is a giant Western Australian eucalypt with reddish brown wood that looks a lot like jarrah. Long,...
- Lemon-Scented GumCorymbia citriodora (syn. Eucalyptus citriodora) Lemon-scented gum is a tall Australian eucalypt known for its smooth pale bark and lemon-scented leaves. The wood...
- LyptusEucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla (hybrid, often written E. urograndis) Lyptus is the trade name for a fast-growing plantation eucalyptus hybrid from Brazil. Its reddish brown wood stains...
- Rainbow EucalyptusEucalyptus deglupta Rainbow eucalyptus is famous for its multicolored peeling bark. The wood underneath is a plain, light pinkish brown...