What we grow

Radiata Pine

Radiata pine (Pinus radiata) is the predominant tree species grown by City Forests, amounting currently to 84% of the estate. It is also the most widely planted pine tree in the world and New Zealand is the second largest producer. Ironically, it is an endangered species in its native California. Radiata pine is a very versatile timber with a light colour, even texture and good strength-to-weight ratio. It is also easy to treat and dry. This wood is particularly well suited for high quality appearance end uses, such as furniture manufacture, cut stock blanks and face veneer. It is also suitable for structural uses and packaging, and is processed for paper and fibreboard.

Douglas Fir

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) has very good strength and stability properties. It is primarily used for structural and framing timber for homes. Douglas fir is a native of the west coast of North America and was named after Scottish botanist, David Douglas, who first introduced it into the United Kingdom in 1827. Otago and Southland are proven to produce some of the largest and most productive stands of Douglas fir in the world. The timber of Douglas fir is often called “Oregon”.

Other species include macrocarpa (Cupressus macrocarpa), spruce (Picea), larch (Larix decidua), eucalypt (Eucalyptus) and even some very small areas of the Sequoia redwood (Sequoiadendron sempervirens).