thanks for your feedback nen888, I will take your advice on the citric/ acetic acid as this would have been my next attempt. I would expect that overall the PH would not have dropped as low as PH4 though, as when mixed with the fresh bark, this would have reduced quite allot. usually the level sits around 6 or 7 in the process of being cooked, due to evaporation, dilution etc? im not too sure, correct me if i'm wrong (but the ph always seems to neutralise during the acid cook). I have had my doubts with sodium hydroxide basing above 13, as it always seems to push over regardless of my attempt of keeping it below 13. so i'll keep this in mind next time also.
I will get some pictures of the tree in question, as like mentioned am not 100% sure that this is floribunda, an ID would help.
Less active then unsafe sounds good. thanks again for ur feedback.
and while i've got you, your suggesting methanol/ ethanol as an alternative extract solvent obviously yeah?