Aesculus hippocastanum

Aesculus hippocastanum L. – Horse chestnut

group: 	DIFFUSE-POROUS HARDWOODS

Macroscopic structure of wood

heartwood/sapwood: 	sapwood (possible occurrence of false heartwood)

description: 	off-white to yellowish colour

rings: 	small visible boundary between rings

vessels:	only micro pores in wood (longitudinal sections smooth)

rays: 	invisible

texture: 	indistinct flatsawn (T) and indistinct radial figure (R); not decorative wood

other: 	often occurrence of pith flecks

Microscopic structure of wood

brief overview: 	Ray 1 seriate, HomG; simple perforation plate, spiral thickenings of vessels

ring: 	invisible boundary between early and late wood within ring	X

vessel types and arrangements: 	only microvessels; microvessels solitary or in radial multiples (up to 4 and more)	X

type of vessel perforation: 	simple	R

vessel thickenings: 	very fine spiral	R, T

rays: 	homogeneous	R, T

width of rays	1	T, (X)

apotracheal parenchyma: 	slightly numerous – marginal, diffuse	X

other: 	pith flecks occurrence

Wood properties

density: 	light

ρ 0: 	510 kg/m3

ρ 12-15: 	550 kg/m3

ρ green: 	900 kg/m3

shrinkage: 	medium

- volumetric (βV): 	11,0 %

- radial (βR): 	3,3 %

- tangential (βT): 	6,8 %

mechanical properties: 	weak

ultimate strength in compression ||: 	31 MPa

ultimate strength in bending: 	64 MPa

ultimate strength in tension ||: 	81 MPa

hardness: 	soft

Janka's hardness: 	35 MPa

technological properties: 	no problem with drying, working and finishing

resistance: 	rated as slightly or nonresistant to decay

Wood utilization

little interest of timber trade; fruit storage trays, crates, boxes, woodcarving and turning work

References