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Giant Chinkapin: Castanopsischrysophylla, Fagaceae |
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Giant Chinkapin: Castanopsischrysophylla, Fagaceae |
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The genus Castanopsis contains about 100 species growing in North America [1] and tropical and subtropical Asia [99]. The term castanopsis means resembling Castanea, a chestnut and related genus, while chrysophylla means golden leaf, referring to the golden yellow scales on the underside of leaves.
Other Common Names: chestnut, chinkapin, chinquapin, evergreen chestnut, evergreen chinkapin, giant chinkapin, giant evergreen chinkapin, golden chinkapin, golden chinquapin, goldenleaf chestnut, goldenleaf chinkapin, western chinquapin.
Distribution: Pacific coast region from southwest Washington south to western Oregon, and in coastal ranges and Sierra Nevada to central California.
The Tree: The giant chinkapin attains a height of over 100 ft (30 m) and a diameter of 4 ft (1.2 m). The bark is a dark red–brown, with deep fissures. The trees grow in mountain slopes and ravines between 3,000 (914 m) and 6,000 ft (1,829 m). They occur individually among the coastal redwood forests and in large stands in association with juniper and oaks. Giant chinkapin is a slow-growing species, living to more than 400 years. When the trees flower in late spring, they are covered in white blossoms that emit a strong odor. It is a masting species, producing large crops of nuts in a cyclical manner, after several years of low nut production.
General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of giant chinkapin is narrow and light brown and is not distinguishable from the heartwood, except the latter can be tinged or striped with pink. It is fine grained, soft and brittle, with no characteristic odor or taste.
Weighta |
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Moisture content |
Specific gravity |
Weight |
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lb/ft3 |
kg/m3 |
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Green 12% Ovendry |
0.42 |
61 32 |
977 513 NA |
aReference (59). |
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Mechanical propertiesa
Property |
Green |
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Dry |
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MOE |
1.02 × 106 lbf/in2 |
7.033 GPa |
1.24 × 106 lbf/in2 |
8.550 GPa |
MOR |
7.00 × 103 lbf/in2 |
48.265 MPa |
10.7 × 103 lbf/in2 |
73.777 MPa |
C| | |
2.03 × 103 lbf/in2 |
13.997 MPa |
4.15 × 103 lbf/in2 |
28.614 MPa |
C ⊥ |
0.49 × 103 lbf/in2 |
3.379 MPa |
0.68 × 103 lbf/in2 |
4.689 MPa |
WML |
9.5 in-lbf/in3 |
65.503 kJ/m3 |
9.5 in-lbf/in3 |
65.503 kJ/m3 |
Hardness |
600 lbf |
2668.80 N |
730 lbf |
3247.04 N |
Shear| | |
1.01 lbf/in2 |
6.964 MPa |
1.26 × 103 lbf/in2 |
8.687 MPa |
aReference (59). |
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Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of shrinkage (green to final moisture content)
Type of shrinkage 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
Tangential 7.4 NA NA
Radial 4.6 NA NA
Volumetric 13.2 NA NA
aReference (59).
Working Properties: Not available at this time.
Durability: Not available at this time.
Preservation: Not available at this time.
Uses: Paneling, tool handles, furniture, novelties, fuel wood. Toxicity: No information available at this time.
The genus Catalpa is composed of 11 species native to North America [2], West Indies [5], and temperate Asia (China to Tibet) [4]. The name catalpa is the Native American (Cherokee) name for this tree.
Catalpa bignonioides* beantree, beau-tree, candle-tree, catawba, catawba-tree, cigartree,
common catalpa, Indian bean, Indian cigartree, southern catalpa Catalpa longissima (Jamaica and Haiti) French oak, Haitian oak, Jamaica oak, mast-
wood, yokewood
Catalpa speciosa* candle-tree, catawba, cigartree, hardy catalpa, Indian bean, Indian
cigartree, northern catalpa, shawnee-wood, western catalpa, western catawba
*commercial species
The following description is for the North American species.
Distribution: Catalpa is native to the central eastern United States, but is naturalized throughout the United States and Canada.
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