Eucalyptus Firewood

Eucalyptus, mainly blue gum and red gum, was planted widely in California and grows in Hawaii and Florida. It is dense and gives high heat once dry, but it is notoriously difficult to split and slow to season.

Eucalyptus firewood at a glance

Heat per cord: 27.0 million BTU
Weight per cord: 4,500 lb (air-dried)
Ease of splitting: ●○○○○ 1 of 5
Seasoning time: 12 to 24 months
Smoke: Moderate
Sparks: Few
Coals: Good
Scent: Strong, medicinal
Type: Hardwood
Common in (US): California, Hawaii, Florida

Also called: Blue gum, Red gumHeat and weight are typical published figures for air-dried wood at about 20% moisture. Real loads vary with moisture, growing conditions and how the cord is stacked. Compare all species.

Splitting eucalyptus

Eucalyptus has interlocked, stringy grain and is very hard to split once dry. Split it as soon as possible after cutting, while green, with a strong hydraulic splitter.

Seasoning eucalyptus

Eucalyptus holds a lot of water and can take 12 to 24 months to dry fully after splitting. It also tends to crack and check as it dries.

Burning eucalyptus

Dry eucalyptus burns hot with good coals and a strong, medicinal smell. Wet eucalyptus smokes badly.

Gear for eucalyptus

Split eucalyptus right after cutting. Left in rounds, it dries hard and becomes much tougher to split.

Splitters and splitting tools

Chainsaws

Stoves, storage and moisture

Size the splitter for your eucalyptus with the log splitter tonnage calculator, and see how many cords a winter takes with the firewood cord calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eucalyptus good firewood?

Once fully dry it burns hot with good coals. It is hard to split and slow to season.

When should I split eucalyptus?

As soon as possible after cutting, while it is green. It gets much harder once dry.

How long does eucalyptus take to season?

Often 12 to 24 months after splitting.

Compare with similar woods

Mesquite (27.0 million BTU per cord), Apple (25.8 million BTU per cord). Or see all 23 species side by side.