EXOTICA WOODS — MATERIAL REFERENCE
Wood Encyclopedia
A practical reference for identifying, understanding and working with exotic and local woods.
Profiles separate confirmed botanical facts from trade names, figure, colour and characteristics that can vary from piece to piece.
Evidence firstSpecies claims are separated from visual clues and trade names.
Workshop usefulGrain, density, colour change, smell, end grain and working behaviour matter.
Source awareTaxonomy, regulation and conservation status are checked against specialist references.
IDENTIFICATION METHOD
Do not identify wood from colour alone.
A reliable identification builds evidence: provenance, freshly exposed colour, face grain, end grain,
pore structure, density, hardness, odour, mineral deposits, fluorescence or extractives when relevant.
Figure such as curl, spalting, ribbon or lace is not a species by itself.
- 1. Expose fresh woodPlane, cut or sand a small area so finish, dirt and oxidation do not dominate the observation.
- 2. Record provenanceCountry, supplier, packaging and previous use can narrow the possibilities dramatically.
- 3. Measure densityWeight plus accurate dimensions often eliminates many visually similar candidates.
- 4. Read the end grainPores, rays and parenchyma under magnification are often more diagnostic than face colour.
- 5. Treat scent as a clueOdour can support an identification, but should not be used as proof by itself.
- 6. State uncertaintyWhen the evidence does not reach species level, use a genus, trade-name or “type” identification instead.
WOOD PROFILE
Cherry covers several Prunus species; this profile keeps species-level properties separate until the exact botanical identity of Exotica stock is documented.
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WOOD PROFILE
Cedar is a common name shared by multiple unrelated woods, so species-level density, durability, scent and habitat should not be assigned without exact identification.
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WOOD PROFILE
Bubinga is a dense Guibourtia trade group prized for red-brown colour, dark streaking and spectacular waterfall, pommele, flame and ribbon figure.
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WOOD PROFILE
Eucalyptus is a large and highly variable timber genus, so density, colour, durability and workability must be tied to the exact species rather than the common name alone.
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WOOD PROFILE
Maple covers many Acer species, while curl, birdseye, burl and spalting describe figure or condition rather than species; exact identification matters before assigning technical properties.
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WOOD PROFILE
Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Québec’s familiar merisier, is a fine-textured North American hardwood valued for furniture, cabinetry, flooring and turning.
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WOOD PROFILE
Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) is a dense, fragrant Atlantic Forest hardwood celebrated for complex colour, dark streaking and historic use in fine furniture and instruments.
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WOOD PROFILE
African Walnut is a trade name rather than a guaranteed botanical identity; Lovoa trichilioides is an important reference species, but exact stock identification remains separate.
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WOOD PROFILE
Lacewood is a trade name defined by dramatic medullary-ray fleck; exact species identification is essential before assigning range or species-level properties.
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WOOD PROFILE
Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis) is a dense Southeast Asian hardwood known for orange-brown colour, interlocked grain and demanding heavy-duty performance.
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WOOD PROFILE
African Padouk (Pterocarpus soyauxii) combines vivid orange-red heartwood with strong working character and colour that deepens markedly as the wood ages.
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WOOD PROFILE
Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) is a very hard, heavy and exceptionally durable North American wood known for bright golden-orange heartwood, bow making and long-lived outdoor service.
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WOOD PROFILE
Movingui (Distemonanthus benthamianus) is a golden African hardwood prized for satin-like figure, decorative cabinetry and a broad range of structural and interior uses.
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WOOD PROFILE
Black Limba is dark-streaked Terminalia superba: a stable, workable African hardwood prized for dramatic figure in furniture, veneer, turning and musical instruments.
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WOOD PROFILE
Khaya, or African mahogany, is a medium-weight tropical hardwood known for pink-to-red colour, ribbon figure, good finishing properties and broad use in furniture, veneer and joinery.
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WOOD PROFILE
Azobé (Lophira alata), also known as Ekki or Bongossi, is an exceptionally dense and naturally durable African hardwood used for bridges, marine work, heavy decking and other severe-service structures.
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WOOD PROFILE
Iroko (Milicia spp.) is a durable tropical African hardwood known for golden-brown colour, interlocked grain, natural decay resistance and dependable performance in furniture, flooring and boatbuilding.
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WOOD PROFILE
Canarywood (Centrolobium spp.) is a dense tropical hardwood known for yellow-orange to reddish-brown colour, darker streaking, good turning properties and a distinct scent while machining. This profile separates genus-level facts from species-level identification.
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EXOTICA WOODS
IDENTIFICATION
Sweet, spicy, cedary, resinous or almost scentless: wood odor can be memorable and useful, but it is not proof of species. Learn how makers can use scent safely as one clue among many.
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WOOD PROFILE
Purpleheart refers to several Peltogyne species whose dense heartwood develops its famous purple colour after exposure, then continues to change with time.
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IDENTIFICATION
Lignum vitae is an exceptionally dense, resin-rich Guaiacum wood valued historically for self-lubricating marine bearings, extreme wear resistance and distinctive oily character.
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REFERENCE FRAMEWORK
Built to separate facts from assumptions.
Botanical names and distributions are checked against authoritative taxonomic references such as
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Technical wood data should be tied to a documented species and test basis,
not copied across unrelated woods that share a common name. CITES status is checked separately where
regulated timber may be involved.
Identification from photos alone can be uncertain. For consequential identification, combine anatomy,
measurements, provenance and, when needed, laboratory or specialist confirmation.
