Cross laminated timber (CLT) has gained popularity and relevance in the construction industry during the past decade. Its versatile applicability, economic competitiveness as well as an increasing social consciousness for sustainable constructions have been main reasons for this positive development. Its laminar composition enables CLT to withstand in- and out-of-plane loads. Due to its structure featuring orthogonally oriented adjacent layers, in CLT loaded out-of-plane, shear and more specific rolling shear has to be considered in ultimate (ULS) as well as serviceability limit state (SLS) design. This is because rolling shear constitutes a potential failure mechanism and contributes a noticeable amount to the overall deflection. Comprehensive knowledge on rolling shear modulus (GR) and strength (fR) is therefore of utmost importance for an adequate design of CLT structures. Previous investigations on rolling shear properties and their influential parameters have primarily been performed numerically and using Norway spruce (Picea abies). The main goal of our contribution, based on investigations detailed in Ehrhart (2014), was to identify the most important parameters for rolling shear characteristics and to quantify their influence. Furthermore, information about the rolling shear performance of several timber species was analysed to investigate their potential for use in CLT-products. In view of upcoming new timber species increasingly pushed into the market, investigations on rolling shear comprised also some hardwood and other softwood species with a potential to be used for (cross) laminated timber products.