Exotic Wood Descriptions - Some Brief Details About Our Exotic Woods

About Our Exotic Woods - Page 2 (Woods M-Z)

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Name/Origin of Exotic Wood	Photo	Finished Product Photo (if available)	Additional Details
Macassar Ebony Botanical Name: Diospyros celebica Country of Origin: India More Macassar Ebony Info			Heartwood is strong, heavy, and hard Mostly used for decorative purposes Somewhat difficult to work with, requiring sharp tools Average Specific Gravity: 1.09
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, inlay work, pool-cue butts, musical instruments, walking sticks

Maple Burl (Big-Leaf) Botanical Name: Acer macrophyllum Country of Origin: United States More Big-Leaf Maple Burl Info			Figure consists of swirly grain pattern Heartwood color varies from creamish to dark brown Can sometimes be sliced into highly decorative veneers for paneling Sometimes contains natural bark inclusions and naturally occurring voids (which are not considered defects)
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, furniture, floor lamps, framing, paneling

Mopane Botanical Name: Colophospermum mopane Country of Origin: Zimbabwe			Hard and dense Oiliness of wood helps to prevent splitting Fairly easy to work with Average Specific Gravity: 0.87
	Some Common Uses: High-end furniture, inlay work, woodwind musical instruments

Olivewood Botanical Name: Olea Europaea sub specie Africana Origin: Northern Africa More Olivewood Info			Indigenous to the Mediterranean Sea region Dark brown streaks contrast attractively with yellowish-brown heartwood Wood is hard, but not difficult to work with Olive trees have been known to live for upwards of 1,500 years Average Specific Gravity: 0.80
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, boxes, religious items, furniture

Osage Orange (Argentine) Botanical Name: Maclura tinctoria Country of Origin: Argentina			Also known as "Mora" Higher quality species than American Osage Orange (doesn't change color) Uneven texture is created by darker and lighter yellow bands Very dense hardwood Stable, strong, and durable Average Specific Gravity: 0.76
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, musical instruments

Padauk Botanical Name: Pterocarpus soyaxii Country of Origin: Cameroon			Heartwood is reddish-orange initially but changes color over time, becoming anything from bright red to coral pink Turns and carves well Very stable and durable
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, musical instruments, veneer, furniture, flooring, boats

Pink Ivory Botanical Name: Rhamnus zeyheri Country of Origin: South Africa More Pink Ivory Info			Pinkish red-striped coloring is produced by bands of wood tissue in the growth rings Carves and turns well, but, due to its hardness, requires sharp tools Known as the royal wood of the Zulus Average Specific Gravity: 0.90
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, inlay, veneer, chess pieces

Purpleheart Botanical Name: Peltogyne paniculata Country of Origin: Suriname More Purpleheart Info			Heartwood is dullish brown when freshly cut, but changes rapidly to a vivid purple "Purpleheart" is the trade name of timber produced by about 20 different species in the genus Peltogyne Requires sharp tools for cutting Grain is typically straight Average Specific Gravity: 0.86
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, inlay, fine furniture, flooring

Red Palm Botanical Name: Cocos nucifera Country of Origin: Myanmar			Features distinguishing red stringy pattern Heartwood is light yellow in color Somewhat brittle and prone to splitting
	Some Common Uses: Turnery

Redheart Botanical Name: Erythroxylon mexicanum Country of Origin: Mexico			Similar to Bloodwood in character and color Comes from a shrub that is fairly small and gnarly Wood is typically smooth, with tight grain Sands and polishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving

Redwood Burl Botanical Name: Sequoia sempervirens Country of Origin: United States			Redwood trees grow primarily in the so-called "fog belt," which runs along the Pacific coast from southern Oregon to Central California The single tallest tree in the world is a Redwood, measuring more than 360 feet in length Easy to turn and carve Now considered rare, even within the fog belt, although efforts are being made to grow more trees Average Specific Gravity: 0.37
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, boxes, fine furniture

Tambootie Botanical Name: Spirostachys africana Country of Origin: Tanzania More Tambootie Info			Heartwood is rich brown with various shades of darker brown to black Has an oily feel and sweet smell Fair amount of oily dust generated when cutting or sanding; good ventilation is required Finishes well Average Specific Gravity: 0.80
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, cabinets, furniture, musical instruments

Thuya Burl Botanical Name: Tetraclinis articulata Country of Origin: Morocco More Thuya Burl Info			Thuya burls actually form on the roots of the tree and must be unearthed from underground Figure consists of clusters of small, black "eyes" Considered a national treasure in Morocco Also known as Thyine Wood; mentioned as such in the Bible Turns and polishes well Average Specific Gravity: 0.67
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, inlay work, handles, pool-cue butts

Tulipwood Botanical Name: Dalbergia variabilis Country of Origin: Brazil			Marked by irregular multi-colored streaks Hard, heavy, and dense, with an oily feel Somewhat difficult to work with as it can splinter Polishes well Average Specific Gravity: 0.96
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, cabinets, furniture, inlay work

WengÉ Botanical Name: Millettia laurentii Countries of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon			Pronounced Wen-GAY Heavy and hard Distinctive figure is reminiscent of that on a partridge's feathers Darkens to a deep brown over time, but the veins remain prominent Makes for a nice contrast when coupled with a lighter colored wood Average Specific Gravity: 0.88
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, musical instruments, canes, archery bows, flooring

Yellowheart Botanical Name: Euxylophora paraensis Country of Origin: Brazil			Dries relatively easily with limited checking or cracking Darkens only slightly on exposure to sunlight Fairly easy to work with Also known as Pau Amarello Average Specific Gravity: 0.80
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, furniture, cabinetry, inlay work

Zebrawood Botanical Name: Microberlinia brazzavillensis Country of Origin: Cameroon More Zebrawood Info			Name stems from vivid, striped pattern ingrained in wood Trees are difficult to harvest due to large size and remote locations Despite being fairly oily, Zebrawood holds finish well Also known as Zebrano Average Specific Gravity: 0.74
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, furniture, veneer, flooring, dashboards
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