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
Macadamia Nut Botanical Name: Macadamia integrifolia Country of Origin: U.S. (Hawaii)			Comes from the same tree in Hawaii that produces macadamia nuts A reddish wood, it often has a "bird's eye" look to it Hard and dense Somewhat difficult to work with, requiring sharp tools
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, pens, knife handles, jewelry

Macassar Ebony Botanical Name: Diospyrus celebica Country of Origin: India			Heartwood is strong, heavy, and hard Mostly used for decorative purposes Somewhat difficult to work with, requiring sharp tools
	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: U.S., Pacific Northwest			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

Marblewood Botanical Name: Marmaroxylon racemosum Country of Origin: Suriname (South America)			Marble-like appearance Heartwood is yellowish beige with maroon to black wavy streaks Dense and hard Turns and finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, furniture, flooring, marquetry

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

Mun Ebony Botanical Name: Diospyros mun Country of Origin: Laos (Southeast Asia)			Caramel-colored wood featuring irregular dark stripes Hard and dense Turns and finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles

Myrtle Burl Botanical Name: Umbelluria californica Origin: U.S., Pacific Northwest			Heartwood is yellowish-brown with olive-brown streaks Wavy and quilted figure Durable and resilient Somewhat difficult to work with Polishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, furniture, cabinets, inlay work

Olivewood Botanical Name: Olea Europaea sub specie Africana Origin: Northern Africa			Indigenous to the Mediterranean Sea region Dark brown streaks contrast attractively with yellowish sapwood Wood is hard, but not difficult to work with Olive trees often live for more than 1,500 years
	Some Common Uses: Furniture, cabinets, jewelry boxes, dowels

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
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, musical instruments

Padauk Botanical Name: Pterocarpus soyaxii Country of Origin: Cameroon (Africa)			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			Pinkish red-striped figure is produced by bands of wood tissue in the growth rings Somewhat difficult to work with, requiring sharp tools Known as the royal wood of the Zulus
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, inlay, veneer, chess pieces

Purpleheart Botanical Name: Peltogyne paniculata Country of Origin: Suriname (South America)			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
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, pool-cue butts, handles, furniture, musical instruments, boat building, moldings

Red Palm Botanical Name: Cocos nucifera Country of Origin: Myanmar (Southeast Asia)			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 Satiné/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

SatinÉ/Bloodwood Botanical Name: Brosimum rubescens Country of Origin: Suriname (South America)			Heartwood is light reddish brown, and figure is a ribbon-like greenish gold Turns and polishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, pool-cue butts, furniture, musical instruments, marquetry

Snake Wood Botanical Name: Piratinera guianensis Country of Origin: Suriname (South America)			Figure resembles the striped markings of a snake Extremely dense Somewhat challenging to work with because it splits fairly easily and tends to be splintery Unless otherwise noted, our snake is air dried and hasn't been stabilized
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, inlay work, handles, pool-cue butts, musical instruments, fishing rods, walking sticks

Tambootie Botanical Name: Spirostachys africana Country of Origin: Tanzania			Heartwood is rich brown with various shades of darker brown to black Has an oily feel and sweet odor Fairly easy to work with Finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, cabinets, furniture, musical instruments

Tasmanian Blackwood Botanical Name: Acacia melanoxylon Countries of Origin: Tasmania and Australia			Despite its name, Tasmanian Blackwood is not actually black in color; heartwood is golden to dark brown Also called Australian Blackwood Widely regarded as a high-quality furniture timber Finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, furniture, guitars, flooring, boat building

Thuya Burl Botanical Name: Tetraclinis articulata Country of Origin: Morocco			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 Turns and polishes well
	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 Somewhat difficult to work with, but polishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, inlay work

Walnut Burl Botanical Name: Juglans nigra Country of Origin: United States			Renowned for its wavy, curly, and mottled figures Quite strong Deemed a superior wood for gun stock because it maintains its shape, is relatively light in weight, and absorbs shock well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, furniture, musical instruments, gun stock

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 Finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, furniture, cabinetry, inlay work

Zebrawood Botanical Name: Microberlinia brazzavillensis Country of Origin: Cameroon (Africa)			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 Difficult to plane
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, furniture, veneer, flooring, boats

Ziricote Botanical Name: Cordia dodecandra Country of Origin: Mexico			Easy to work with Very dense High bending strength Good finishing qualities Heartwood is reddish brown with black veins
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, tool handles, pool-cue butts, cabinets, furniture, veneer
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