Wood Names and Descriptions
African Blackwood: (Dalberia melanoxylon) Dark, almost black rosewood species, fantastic turnery wood used for clarinets, one of our densest woods. Takes a very fine polish. Very hard & heavy, weighing up to 79 pounds per cubic foot. Extremely expensive Tanzania
Afzelia Burl: (Afzelia sp.) Lustrous Yellowish red. A beautiful burl which will make wonderful pens & pencils.
Amboyna Burl: (Pterocarpus indicus) Rarest of the burls. Tight burly figure and beautiful reddish-orange color with burl 'eyes.' Machines & turns well. High lustrous finish. S.E. Asia
Ambrosia Maple Generally creamy in color, it has occasional colorful streaks of black grey, brown and red/green.
ASH White (Fraxinus americana) Light brown heartwood with almost all white sapwood. Straight grain with coarse texture. Excellent bending properties and shock resistance. USA.
Basswood (Tilia americana) Fine straight grain material with an even texture and little contrast between early and late wood. Creamy white in color and lighter in weight than the related European Lime. Fairly soft, preferred wood for carving. Canada and USA.
Birds eye maple: (Acer saccharum) Creamy white to brown with birds eye figure A natural occurrence found predominately in hard maple causes 'eyes' to form that give a striking figure to the wood. Straight grain with intermittent eyes make this a great wood for writing instruments. U.S.A.
Black Limba: (Terminalia superba) Cream colored with dark brown to black streaks. Medium texture & density. Easy to work and takes a beautiful finish. West Africa
Bloodwood: Brosimum rubescens, - Brosimum paraense
This wood grows in tropical South America. It is also known as cardinal wood or satiné . The heartwood is a deep, rich brick-red color. It is noteworthy in that it keeps its color over time and doesn't brown-out as do many of the other red-toned woods. Bloodwood is a hard, dense, heavy wood with a very fine, even texture and takes an excellent finish from the cutter. Odorless and tasteless. Very hard and heavy. Weight 56 to 66 lbs. per cu. ft. Very difficult to work but finishes smoothly, taking a high polish. Rare. And expensive. Tropical South America -
Bloodwood (Kajat, Kiaat, Muninga, Mtumbati, Mukwa, Mutete)
From Africa; Tanzania, Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zaire. Color is fairly uniform dark red-orange. The grain is close, and straight to interlocked and varies from medium to coarse in texture. Common uses include boat building, decorative veneer, fine furniture, medicinal use, canoes, excelsior and parquet flooring and fine turnings. Specific Gravity is .61(dense). Turns extremely well.
Bocote (Cordia elaeagnoIdes) (Anacahuite, Bois de rose, Canalete, Cordia, Laurel, Peterebi, Salmwood, Siricote) Spectacular background colors of dark brown to red with multicolored strips that vary from yellow to orange and green to dark brown. Machines well, excellent turning stock. Somewhat hard to find material. This wood is sometimes called "Mexican Rosewood." From Central America; Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) This light yellow, fine grained wood is one of the most homogeneous and is highly prized by sculptors and woodworkers since it can be worked with great precision (its fine grain could be compared to ivory.) In the Middle-Age, boxwood was used to create templates with complicated forms. These were then used to hammer gold or silversmith pieces.
Butternut (Juglans cinerea) A straight grained, coarse textured wood with medium brown to dark brown heartwood, lighterthan blackwalnut,which it generally resembles. Great carving wood when accenting the grain in the carving. Canada and USA.
Brazilian Rosewood: (Dalbergia nigra) A beautiful light to dark reddish brown. Very hard and heavy. Difficult to turn on a lathe without carbide turning tools. Takes a very beautiful polish. This wood was over harvested and is no longer being exported from Brazil. The only quality wood that is available in the U.S. is recycled from finished furniture. Extremely expensive It is very rare to find any Brazilian Rosewood that has not been recycled.
Bubinga: (Guibourtia tessmannli) (Akume, Ebana, Essingang, Kevazingo, Okweni, Ovang, Waka) Pinkish red, darkening with exposure, often called African Rosewood, hard & heavy, taking a beautiful finish. (Rose color, veined with darker stripes, or mottled) From West Africa; Gabon, Cameroon, Zaire, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Liberia and Nigeria.
Buckeye Burl: (Aesculus articulta) A most unusual burl. Color ranges from bright yellow to cream with streaks of black, blue & white throughout. Wild grained with many 'eyes.' This is a beautiful burl which takes a very fine polish and is exceedingly difficult to turn on a lathe.
Canary Wood: (Centroloblum orinocense) Straight grained and a medium to Coarse texture. Yellow color with streaks of a variety of reds, golds & brown. Color will age to a deep golden yellow tone. Central America
CANARYWOOD (American tulipwood, American whitewood, Canary whitewood, Canoe wood, Saddletree, Yellow Poplar) From the United States and Canada.
Cardinal Wood: (Brosimem paraense) also called bloodwood. Strawberry red. Dense & oily. Takes a fine, beautiful shine. Does not darken much with exposure. Brazil
Cedar, Aromatic Red (Juniperus virginiana) (Eastern redcedar, Juniper, Red juniper, Savin, Virginia pencil cedar) Soft wood with aroma that is a natural repellent to moths and insects. Sapwood is white to cream and is intermixed and contrasts with the salmon to dark red of the heartwood. Expect tight closed knots throughout the material. From the United States and Canada.
Cedar, Spanish (Cedrela Odorata) Light reddish brown to dark brown in color with grain texture similar to that of mahogany. Machines and carves well with hand and powertools. Strong yet lightweight. Traditionally used for cigar boxes and humidor linings.
Chakte-kok: (Cosmocalyx spectabilus) from a sustained yield forest. Bright red with darker stripes. Darkens with exposure. Mexico
Chechem: (Metopium brownie) Reddish brown with dark striping & golden luster. Easy to work and takes a fine finish. Mexico
Chechem Burl: (Metopium brownie) A very wild burl! It has many small eyes. Color ranges from brown to a light rose. Works easily for a burl & finishes with a high gloss. Mexico
Cherry (Prunus serotina) (Black cherry, Capulin, Choke cherry, New England mahogany, Plum, Rum cherry) Hard straight grained with firm texture. Heartwood is reddish brown to deep red, with brown flecks, and will naturally darken with age. Works well with hand and machine tools, finishes well. Great for turning. From the United States, Switzerland and Canada.
Claro Black Walnut: (Juglans spp) Dark brown wood with wavy & curly grain colors of light yellowish brown to dark brown or black. Similar to American Walnut in density and texture but with more spectacular grain patterns. Takes a beautiful high gloss finish. U.S.A.
Cocobolo: (Dalbergia retusa) (Nicaraguan rosewood, Granadillo, Caviuna, Uruana, Funera, Pallisander) One of our most beautiful rosewoods, red to orange with variegated black striping. Very dense and oily, taking a high polish. Turnery, knife handles, pens & pencils, bird calls, walking canes and all forms of fancy woodwork.The color turns deep orange red with exposure. From Central America: Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Eastern White Holly: (Rex opaca) Light cream to pure white. Fine uniform texture. USA
Ebony, Gaboon: (Diospyros spp.) Jet black color with only the slightest possibility of dark brown streaks. Somewhat difficult to turn but worth the effort. Great for knobs, pulls, inlays and accents in cabinetry. Excellent turning wood & takes a beautiful shine. Extremely expensive Africa
Elm Burl: A beautiful burl with colors ranging from dark to light browns and hints of black streaks. This wood turns well and takes a fine, lustrous finish.
English Elm Burl: Reddish brown with many eyes. This burl makes a beautiful writing instrument. UK
French Boxwood : Please see "Boxwood"
Goncalo Alves: (Astronium sp.) (Ciruelillo, Frijolillo, Gateado, Guarita, Guasango, Gusanero, Jobillo, Palo de cera, Palo de culebra, Ron ron) Light to dark reddish brown with black streaks. Hard, heavy and waxy. It is fine grained, is easy to work, and takes a beautiful finish. Specific Gravity is .95 (very dense). Turns easily with sharp tools if straight grain. Figured pieces require care when turning. From Central and Latin America; Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Guyana and Peru.
Granadilla: (Platymiscium pinnatum) Reddish brown & hard & heavy. Often used as a rosewood substitute. Takes a high polish. Mexico
Granadillo (Platymiscium spp) Hard and dense with fairly straight, coarse and slightly irregular to interlocked grain. Color varies from reddish brown to violet heartwood and sapwood that is creamy white. Machines well with sharp hand and power tools. Central America.
Honduras Rosewood: (Dalbergia stevesonii) Hard, heavy & dense. The heartwood is pinkish to purple-brown with irregular black markings. Grain is straight with a medium to fine texture. Sapwood is a striking creamy white. This wood turns easily and takes a very high polish.
Imbuya: Sometimes called Brazilian Walnut (although not a true walnut), this colorful, fine textured wood has long been prized by woodworkers. It is a large tree attaining a height of 40m with a diameter of 2m, which grows in South Brazil. Heartwood is yellow-olive to chocolate brown, with variegated streaks and stripes. Grain pattern varies widely, with many different figures occurring in individual boards. Imbuya is hard and moderately heavy (about 42 pounds per cubic foot). Heartwood is durable. Emits a spicy, resinous scent and taste. Imbuya is easy to work with hand and power tools, although grain tends to pick up when planing. Finishes to a high luster. Glues well. Uses: High grade furniture, cabinetry, joinery, paneling, flooring, gun stocks. From Southern Brazil.
Jarrah Burl: (Eucalyptus marginata) Brick red color, heavily figured with many 'eyes'. Hard & heavy. Takes a lustrous shine.. Australia
Kingwood: (Dalbergia congestiflora) (Aroeira, Muiracatiara, Aroeira-do-sertao, Aroeira-legitima) Also called Camotilla. Deep purple with light and dark stripes. Very hard and heavy. Oily, so it takes beautiful polish. Very rare. Mexico Kingwood gets its name from the era of the French Revolution. Extremely expensive Brazil
Koa: (Koa acacia) Koa is the largest of the native trees of Hawaii. it is rare within its natural habitat This tree has been used by native Hawaiians to make canoes, carved figures, furniture and in recent years in the craft industry. Koa is a moderately heavy wood and can range in color from golden orange to a deep reddish brown. Koa is famous for its Ribbon grain which often comes highly figures. This wood turns easily and polishes to a high sheen. From Hawaii
Lacewood: (Carwellia sp.) (Silky oak, Selano) Light pinkish red with very pronounced rays or 'silver' grain. Medium texture, high luster. Australia
Lacewood (Roupala Brasilensis) Light pink to silvery sheen with small flaky grain due to the large rays. Attractive pattern when used in small areas. Fairly light in weight, machines very well with both hand and power tools. Central and South America.
Limba: is most often known in the United States by its commercial name korina (occasionally spelled corina.) But around the world, it is referred to as afara or limba. Limba is most often seen as a pale yellow to straw-colored wood, but its heartwood may have streaks that are grey to black. It is most often straight grained, but occasionally wavy-grained korina will produce a beautiful figure. The wood is slightly lustrous, but with a faint odor. Uses vary. It is sometimes used for interior joinery, shop fittings, furniture, desks, turnery, coffins and light construction. The highly figured korina, is used for decorative veneers. The heartwood, with its streaks, makes a beautiful face veneer for paneling, doors and marquetry. The darker heartwood is usually referred to as dark afara, dark limba or limba bariole, and also as korina in the United States. With its blackish streaks, the heartwood makes a very attractive face veneer that can be used for high-end paneling, furniture, architectural doors and marquetry. It is also an excellent turnery wood. Pale yellow to light brown with a pattern that has fine and irregular rays. Pores are scarce, but large enough to give an interesting grain character. It has a close grain with a texture that is moderately coarse but even. Limba is easy to work with hand and machine tools, but has a slight blunting effect on cutters. it will finish well if filler is used. Pre-boring is needed in nailing and screwing. It will dry rapidly, but has a tendency to shake or split when it is air dried. Kiln-fried wood will dry rapidly with little degradation. The sawdust can be irritating to some individuals and can lead to skin infections. The wood has medium density with low bending strength and stiffness and medium crushing strength.
Mango: (Mangifera indica) A beautiful Hawaiian hardwood introduced to the Islands probably in the early 1800's. A medium to large tree that frequently grows to 50 to 65 feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. The heart wood is a beautiful blond wood which frequently stains during drying to form unique and wonderful color variations. Mango is hard but works easily and polishes to a glossy finish.
Makore: (Mimusops heckelli) Also called African Cherry. Reddish brown with a fine grain. Turns well and takes a beautiful finish. West Africa
Madrone Burl: (Arbutus menziesli) These burls have a medium to high density of small bird's eyes. Reddish to pinkish brown. Takes a beautiful polish. N. W. U.S.A.
Mahogany, Honduras (Swietenia macrophylla) Medium density hardwood, pale brown to pink to dark reddish brown. Firm straight to wavy grain. Great workability with hand and machine tools and takes detail very well. Premiere carving wood. Central America.
Maple (Acer saccharum) Hard heavy straight grained wood with a fine texture. Sapwood is white and selected for its color, heartwood is light reddish brown. Irregular grain often makes this wood somewhat difficult to work with. Turns well, stains fair, finishes well. USA.
Maple, Bird’s Eye (Acer saccharum) A natural occurrence found predominately in hard maple causes "eyes" to form that give a striking figure to the wood. Straight grain with intermittent eyes makes this a great accent wood. USA.
Maple, Figured (Acer saccharum) Actually a ‘catch all" phrase for maple with unbelievable grain patterns ranging from curly to flamed to fiddlebacked. Color ranges from light cream to darker tones of brown and anything in-between. Northwest USA and Canada.
Maple Burl, Big Leaf (Acermacrophyllum) Unbelievable,swirly, unpredictable grain patterns with light to dark variations of cream brown to dark brown color. Natural edges, bark inclusions and internal voids may be present and are not considered defects. Northwest USA.
Myrtlewood: (Umbellularia californica) Also called Pepper Wood. Color varies greatly from yellowish gray to greenish black, often with curly or burly figure. Popular turning wood for the novelty industry. This wood also makes unbelievable pens & pencils. N. W. U.S.A.
Macadamia Nut: (Macadamia integrefulia) A beautiful Hawaiian hardwood introduced into the Islands in the late 1800's. This is a beautiful reddish wood with rays similar to Australian lacewood. Macadamia wood is a hard & dense wood that requires sharp blades to cut cleanly. This wood makes beautiful writing instruments.
Mesquite Wood: (Prosopis julifora) This beautiful wood is heavy and very hard. The basic color of this amazing wood is brown, ranging from light to dark brown. The yellows, pinks and orange/reds appear in marble like grains to make this an exquisite wood. Mesquite wood is a pleasure to work with an takes a beautiful high polish. SW USA and Mexico.
Milo: (Thespesia popuinea) A beautiful wood from the Island of Hawaii. It is a small tree maturing to only 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Its dark brown heartwood and light tan sapwood make a striking writing instrument. This wood is quite rare, heavy, and takes a high polish.
Ohia: (Metrosiderous polymorpha) Ohia or ohia lehua is one of the most common and widespread large trees in Hawaii. A large Ohia can run 80 ft. in height and 3 plus feet in diameter. The wood is heavy, very hard, strong, and was used by early Hawaiians in carvings and household implements. This most attractive wood makes beautiful pens and pencils.
Olivewood: (Oleo europa) Yellowish brown with dark brown streaks. Hard & heavy. Grain is straight to wavy, very fine texture. This is an expensive but very beautiful wood. Machines well and takes a fine finish. Mediterranean
Osage Orange: (Maclura pomifera) A medium to hard wood with a golden yellow to bright orange heartwood, with possible pronounced darker grain streaks. Medium to coarse texture, straight grained. Machines good with sharp power tools and is excellent for turning. Takes a high polish. Southern U.S.A.
Oak, Red (Quercus rubra) Straight grained wood with a coarse texture that varies according to rate of growth. Color ranges from light cream, pinkish-red to dark tan or golden brown. Machines with hand and powertools. Used for furniture, turning, takes a stain well. USA.
Oak, White, Quarter Sawn (Quercus alba) Pale brown to dark brown in colorwith a pinkish shade, grain is verystraightwith a relatively porous open texture. Some "ray fleck patterns" may be present in quarter/riftsawn oak. Morestablethan plain sawn stock, greatforfurniture and turning. USA.
Pacific Yew: (Taxus baccata) Bright orange to brown. Fine grained & turns easily. Takes a high polish. NW U.S.A.
Pheasant Wood: A beautiful, heavy wood. Dark brown with light brown veins. Very hard and yet turns well. Pheasant wood make a strikingly beautiful writing instrument. Takes a high polish. Very rare, from Hawaii.
Pink Ivory: (Birchemia zeyheri) Bright pink to watermelon red. Hard & heavy, very fine texture and takes a beautiful polish. One of the rarest woods in the world. Turnery, inlays, fancy woodwork, knife handles & writing instruments. Extremely expensive E. & S. Africa
Padauk: (Pterocarpus soyauxii) (Mbe, Mbil, Mututi, Ngula, Bosulu) Medium to hard wood, heartwood is deep orange red that will age to a deeper orange brown. Moderately course grain texture with straight to interlocking grain patterns. Machines & turns well with a high polish. From Africa; Cameroon, Zaire, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria.
Paela (Caesalpinia spp.) Varies in color from pink to dark red with light cream to yellow streaks. Stripped appearance shown on quarter sawn material. Machines well and is an excellent turning wood. Central America.
Pau Ferro (Akite, Asomanini, Awong, Bannia, Boto, Dina, Gandoe, Icoje, Kisasamba, Mututy, N'guessa, Naranjillo, Ndina, Nsakala, Oken, Orura barrialera, Pao rosa, Parakusan, Wamara) The heartwood is pink, yellow, or dark brown in color and is often striped with red-brown bands. The grain is usually wavy or interlocked. The wood is rather coarse-textured. Polishing characteristics are rated as good. From Africa; Congo, Ivory Coast, Zaire, Gabon, Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guine and, Nigeria. Common uses include carvings, musical instruments, decorative veneer, fine furniture and sounding boards.Specific Gravity is .82 (very dense). Responds well to turning.
Pear Wood: (Pyrus communis) Pinkish brown to rose colored wood with very fine, straight & even textured grain. Excellent turning wood. Will polish to a high luster and holds great detail. Europe, UK, & western Asia.
Persimmon (Bara-bara, Boa-wood, Butterwood, Possum wood, Virginia date palm, White ebony)From the United States.
Pine, Eastern White or Ponderosa (Pinus strobus or Pinus ponderosa) Softwood with a soft to medium density. Color varies from creamy white to pale straw, with occasional contrasting orangish growth rings. USA.
Prima Vera: (Tabebuia donnel-smithil) Creamy white with a high luster. Beautiful ribbon stripe effect on the quarter sawn surface. Takes a nice finish. Mexico
Purple Heart: (Peltogyne) (Amarante, Violetwood, Koroboreli, Saka, Sakavalli, Pau roxo, Nazareno, Morado, Tananeo, Palo morado, Guarabu) Medium to hard wood with tight, fairly straight grain with moderately coarse texture. Bright purple when cut, darkens to a brownish purple with exposure. Machines well with sharp tools. Turns & finishes well. Central & South America.
Quilted Maple: This burl comes is a variety of light to darker browns and sometimes a wild pinkish orange will give a hint of glowing ember.
Redheart (Erythroxylon spp.) Pale to dark red that will deepen in color with age. Grain is straight and tight. Machines well but has a tendency to burn. Turns well. Fresh cut material has a bright red look that will darken with exposure. Central America.
Rosewood, Santos (Pau Ferro): (Machaerium scleroxylon) Reddish brown to dark cocoa brown, often with dark stripes. Fine grained with a high luster. Bolivia
Rosewood, Bolivian (Machaerium acutifolium) Deep dark chocolate brown to purple black in color with occasional strips of even darker tones. Hard, heavy, fine texture with variable grain patterns. Machines well with sharp hand and power tools. Turns well. South America.
Rosewood, BRAZILIAN - var. SANTOS (Cabiuna, Jacaranda, Palisander, Rio rosewood)
Varies in color from shades of brown to red or violet, and is irregularly streaked with black. The grain is typically straight, occasionally wavy. Texture is medium to coarse and of medium luster.
Common uses include cabinetmaking, fine furniture, marquetry, pianos, tool handles, drum sticks, organ pipes, sounding boards, umbrella handles, wainscoting and xylophones.
Specific Gravity is .85 (very dense). Ease of turning varies from easy to very difficult. From Brazil.
Rosewood, Honduras (Dalbergia stevensonll) (Nogaed) Hard, heavy and dense, the heartwood is pinkish to purple brown with irregular black markings. Grain is straight with a medium to fine texture. Sapwood is a striking contrast of creamy white. Central America. Belize
Sapele: (Entandrophtagma cylindricum) Light tan darkening to a reddish brown shows a narrow ribbon stripe figure on the radial surface. Moderately heavy & very hard with an oily feel. Finishes with a high gloss. West Africa
Satinwood (Satine, Amapa rana, Pau rainha, Falso pao brasil, Conduru, Muirapiranga, Satine rouge) This clearly demarcated sapwood is yellowish white in color. The grain is straight to slightly interlocked. The wood is fine textured and has good polishing characteristics. Common uses include billiard-cue butts, cabinetmaking, carvings, marquetry, musical instruments and fine furniture. Specific Gravity is .69 (dense). Moderately difficult to turn. From Central and Latin America; Guyana, Brazil, Suriname, and French Guiana.
Snake Wood: (Piratinera guianensis) also called Letterwood. Reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Very hard & heavy, fine texture and takes a superior shine. Extremely rare (it has been said that this is the rarest wood in the world). It certainly is one of the most expensive. Suriname
Thuya Burl: (Tetraclinis articulata) Golden reddish brown with heavy small dark 'eyes'. Hard, heavy, oily, aromatic. Turns well and takes a high shine. Morocco.
Tulipwood (Dalbergia frutescens) (Pau rosa, Bois de rose, Pinkwood, Pau de fuso, Jacaranda rosa)Hard dense wood with a pinkish to yellowish heartwood with pronounced stripes of violet, salmon, and rose. Grain is interlocked and irregular with a medium to fine texture and a pleasantly mild fragrance when cut. From Central and Latin America; Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and Venezuela.
Walnut, Black (Jaglans nigra) Tough wood with even but coarse texture, straight grained with occasional wavy grain patterns. Sapwood is light in color contrasting with the rich dark chocolate brown to purplish black heart wood. Canada and USA.
Walnut, Claro (Juglans spp.) Dark chocolate brown wood with wavy and curly grain colors of light yellowish brown to dark brown or black. Similar to American Walnut in density and texture but with more spectacular grain patterns. Used for furniture. turning. West Coast, USA.
Wenge: (Millettia spp.) . WENGA (Awoung, Dikela, Mibotu, Bokonge, Tshikalakala, Nson-so, Palissandre du congo)A heavy dense wood with straight grain and a coarse texture. Dark brown color with black veins with streaks of light brown lines. Can be difficult to work, but very attractive. Equatorial Africa: Zaire, Cameroon, Congo and Gabon Specific Gravity is .91 (very dense). Turning characteristics are good.
Yellowheart (Euxylophora paraensis) Fine straight grained hardwood with bright yellow color throughout the wood. Machines well and is an excellent turning stock. Great for adding accents o projects. Central America.
Zebra Wood: (Microberlinia brazzavillenis) (African zebrawood, Allen ele, Zebrano, Zingana)Medium to heavy hardwood with possible coarse grain texture depending on how it is cut. Light tan to golden yellow with streaks of dark brown to black. This wood turns easily and makes a beautiful writing instrument. From Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo in Africa.
Zircote (Cordia dodecandra) Very hard, heavy and dense material with tight grain. Color is dark brownish black to black with streaks of black. Hard & heavy. Takes a high polish. Machines well with sharp hand and power tools, susceptible to burning. Central and South America.
