Do Citrus Trees Have Good Wood?

Citrus trees grow well throughout frost-free regions of the United States. When removing an unproductive, diseased, or improperly placed tree from the landscape, do not throw the wood away. Citrus tree wood is useful in a variety of ways.

Types

Many varieties of citrus trees have usable wood. Species include limes, grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, kumquats and tangelos.

Considerations

Citrus wood requires drying before it is usable, especially for burning. Green wood is heavy and dry wood is lighter. A period of approximately six months should be sufficient for citrus wood to dry.

Features

Dried citrus wood has a yellowish-white coloration. It is a close-grained hardwood.

Benefits

Dried citrus wood is bark-free, which makes it clean to transport. It is also easy to split, burns cleanly with little aroma and burns longer than softwoods, with no popping and little smoke.

Uses

Citrus wood is suitable for campfires and for smoking foods. You may also create furniture, hiking sticks, cabinets and engraver's blocks from citrus wood.

Warnings

Pests can damage citrus wood furniture. Drywood termites can infect the dried wood, according to Purdue University Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.