Walnut, Yellow

Yellow walnut is a well-shaped, medium-sized tree, attaining a maximum height of 25 to 30 metres. It occurs in North Queensland rainforests around the Johnstone and Russell Rivers, Evelyn and Daintree Rivers, Bellenden Ker Range and the Atherton Tableland. Commercial availability of yellow walnut timber is currently very limited, due to enforced conservation of the rainforests in which it typically occurs. 

The heartwood of this species is pale to bright lemon yellow in colour. Sapwood is typically paler but often difficult to distinguish from the true wood, since it can occupy up to 50% of the stem radius. Grain is straight and moderately coarse, with little or no figure - although back-sawn surfaces may occasionally show figure due to earlywood/latewood ring formation.

In terms of durability, yellow walnut is a class 4 hardwood, with a maximum life expectancy of between five and seven years (aboveground and in-ground application, respectively). The sapwood (but not heartwood) of this species is readily impregnated with preservatives using commercially available procedures. Untreated sapwood is susceptible to borer attack. Yellow walnut is not resistant to termites.

Common applications of yellow walnut range from light construction (as sawn timber in general house framing, flooring, linings and mouldings) to a variety of decorative uses (plywood, furniture, joinery, turnery, carving and paneling).