Editing Vitex lucens (section)

==Current and potential future usage==
Currently small quantities of pūriri timber are available from time to time around the [[Auckland Region|greater Auckland area]] and [[Northland Region|Northland]],<ref>N.C. Clifton (1991) New Zealand timbers, exotic and indigenous. The complete guide.</ref> these tend to be mostly used for wood-turning or, as in the case of pūriri fence posts, be recycled as garden furniture.<ref name=":6" /><ref>D. Masters (1990) Puriri posts make unique garden seats. New Zealand Gardner. Issue 46 (8).</ref> The erstwhile Forest Research Institute (now [http://www.scionresearch.com Scion]) recommends planting fast-growing, high-quality timber species such as pūriri as special-purpose species, particularly in view of the rising cost of importing these and the scarcity of native timber.<ref>G. Pardy and D.O. Bergin (1989) Growth of native trees in plantations. What's new in forest research #173.</ref>

A special-purpose species is defined as "a species producing timber with special wood properties required for those uses where radiata pine (''[[Pinus radiata]]'' D. Don.) is not entirely satisfactory". Therefore, the timber will usually be complementary to that of ''Pinus radiata'', not an alternative. Some of the special-purpose end uses advocated were; furniture, veneer, turnery, exterior joinery, boat building and tool handles.<ref>I. Nicholas and E. Hay (1990) Selection of special purpose species. Effect of pests and diseases. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 20.</ref> Pūriri has fulfilled these roles in the past. Other potential roles for pūriri include post, wharf and bridge pilings, as pine requires a high degree of preservative treatment and can break too readily under pressure due to lack of cross-grained wood.<ref>G.B. Walford and C.R. Hellawell (1982) Don't shave those poles. What's new in forestry research 106.</ref> Indications are that pūriri could [[coppice]] well, and, as it is one of New Zealand's most demanded burning timbers,<ref name=":6" /> it might prove suitable as a source of biomass or for charcoal production.