capathia tree

[Lloyd Brown]

Is a capathia lumber worth the work to recover it? I did a goole search and found nothing. If memory serves me it has a striking grain, but I can't remember where I saw it. The tree is about 18"-20" diamiter waist high, but split into two trumks 5' up.

[John Miliunas]

Lloyd, are you sure of the name? Per your email, I did a search, as well, and don't find such an animal anywhere. Might the tree be a Catalpa? Any peculiar or different leaves, seed pods or such on it, which may help identify it? We've got a few extremely knowledgeable WW's out here who know their wood inside and out, whom I'm sure would be helpful in identifying it and/or its uses.

[Jim Becker]

Do you mean Catalpa? (Large leaves, long bean pods) I don't find anything named "capathia" in my Audubon guide. I have seen the former used for turnings, but not for anything else.

[John Miliunas]

If it is indeed a Catalpa, in addition to Jim's insight, I understand it is also good for outdoor use, being more rot/insect resistant. There are a couple caveats with it, as well. When milling it, the stuff *stinks*. (DAMHIKT). It also has a tendency to tear out a bit when routing. I built a couple shadowbox frames with the stuff, because I got it *cheap* and I did like the grain on it. Not the easiest stuff to work (due to the tear-outs) and extremely soft and prone to denting.

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Perhaps you are referring to the Carpathian Tree. This is actually a grafted variety of Walnut Tree. The wood does indeed have striking grain, but if memory serves me the wood is lighter in color than Black Walnut. If you are indeed referring to the Catalpa Tree, which some call the Lady Cigar Tree, due to the long slender seed pods they produce. These pods resemble Cigars when dried, and can actually be smoked. They taste terrible have made many young kid turn green trying to smoke them. DAMHIKT! For you fisherman out there, the Catalpa Tree has a small worm that is present during the bloom period that is deadly bait for Bluegill and Crappie. As far a working qualities of the Catalpa, I have never worked it, but I know it is soft. As far as Carpathian Walnut goes, it is a Walnut Tree, and the working qualities are mostly the same as the Black Walnut. Hope this helps you some. If I had a photo of the Leaf of the tree in question, I could probably identify the tree.

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Kevin Gersty
Perhaps you are referring to the Carpathian Tree. This is actually a grafted variety of Walnut Tree. The wood does indeed have striking grain, but if memory serves me the wood is lighter in color than Black Walnut. ~snip~ As far as Carpathian Walnut goes, it is a Walnut Tree, and the working qualities are mostly the same as the Black Walnut.

Sounds similar to Claro Walnut typical of the left-coast of the US. If I'm not mistaken, that's an English walnut grafted onto a US species rootstock...or something like that. The color is definitely lighter.

[Ken Garlock]

The name Carpathian walnut is another name for the Persian walnut which originated in the Carpathian mountains. The Carpathian mountains run along eastern Europe through Poland, the Ukraine, Czech Republic, Romania, etc. The common name for the tree/nut is "English Walnut." How it got the name of English walnut is a mystery to me.

You can find a lot out over at Google

[Lloyd Brown]

I wish I could spell! Yes it is a catalpa tree. thank you one and all for the insight in to this tree. The "bad news" is the tree is a late bloomer, it is just starting to get leaves, so I geuss it is not dead. I will let it live,----for now---

[Anthony Yakonick]

Green Catalpa WILL rust your tools right before your eyes, just ask my table saw. I had a rust ring 1/16" thick overnight.