Canarywood — Color, Grain, Scent and Uses

Canarywood — Color, Grain, Scent and Uses

Canarywood is a trade name used for several species in the genus Centrolobium (Fabaceae). Because the exact species can vary in commerce, this profile stays at genus level unless provenance allows a more precise identification.

Species profile

Botanical scope Centrolobium spp. The tree shown below is Centrolobium tomentosum, a representative Canarywood species native to Brazil.

Range & habitat Canarywood occurs in tropical America, with the exact native range depending on the species. C. tomentosum is documented from Brazil and grows primarily in seasonally dry tropical habitat.

Colour & appearance Heartwood can range from pale yellow-orange to reddish brown, often crossed by darker red or brown streaks. Colour commonly deepens and becomes more uniform with age.

Grain & texture Grain is usually straight but can become irregular or wild on highly figured pieces. Texture is generally fine to medium with a noticeable natural lustre.

Density & hardness Published reference values for commercial Canarywood are about 830 kg/m³ average dried weight and roughly 1,520 lbf Janka hardness. These figures should be treated as representative values because the trade name covers more than one species.

Workability Generally pleasant to machine, turn, glue and finish. Highly irregular grain can tear during planing, so sharp tooling and lighter finishing passes are preferable on figured stock.

Odour A distinct scent can be noticeable while the wood is being worked.

Durability Commercial Canarywood is commonly rated as very durable against decay, with reported resistance to termites and marine borers.

Typical uses Furniture, cabinetry, veneer, flooring, boatbuilding, architectural work and turned objects.

Identification note Exotica Wood treats Canarywood as Centrolobium spp. unless the individual piece has documentation strong enough to support a species-level identification. Colour alone is not considered sufficient evidence.

Visual reference

Centrolobium tomentosum, a Canarywood species, mature tree
Polished Canarywood grain, Centrolobium tomentosum

Grain variations

Canarywood grain variation from a real Exotica Wood blank
Canarywood grain variation with golden orange tones and dark contrast, Exotica Wood

Exotica Wood example

Real highly figured Canarywood board from Exotica Wood

EVIDENCE TRAIL

Go deeper. Verify the material.

Exotica Woods separates trade names, visual clues and confirmed botanical identity. These specialist references let you continue the investigation beyond this article.

01
Kew — Plants of the World Online

Accepted botanical names, synonyms, native range, distribution and plant-level taxonomy.

 02
InsideWood — Wood Anatomy

Microscopic and macroscopic anatomy using IAWA wood-identification features and reference images.

 03
USDA Forest Products Laboratory

Wood structure, moisture, physical properties, mechanical behaviour, drying, durability and engineering context.

 04
CITES — Timber Identification

Identification resources and trade-regulation material for listed timber groups and species.

 05
IUCN Red List

Species-level conservation assessments, range, population trend, threats and conservation actions when assessed.
Identification rule: wood anatomy can often narrow an unknown sample to a genus or group, but species-level identification is not always possible from wood alone. When the evidence does not justify certainty, Exotica keeps the identification conservative.