Popular Names: Bubinga, kevazingo, African rosewood

Scientific name: Guibourtia spp., the three principal species are G. demeusei, G. pellegriniana, and G. tessmannii

Distribution: Equatorial Africa

Tree Size: 40-45 m tall,

                     1-2 m trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 890 kg/m³

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.72, 0.89

Janka Hardness: 10,720 N

Modulus of Rupture: 168.3 MPa

Elastic Modulus: 18.41 GPa

Crushing Strength: 75.8 MPa

Shrinkage: Radial: 6.0%, Tangential: 8.2%,

                          Volumetric: 13.9%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Color/Appearance: Heartwood ranges from a pinkish red to a darker reddish brown with darker purple or black streaks. Sapwood is a pale straw color and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Bubinga is very frequently seen with a variety of figure, including pommele, flamed, waterfall, quilted, mottled, etc.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to interlocked. Has a uniform fine to medium texture and moderate natural luster.

Rot Resistance: Ranges from moderately durable to very durable depending upon the the species. Bubinga is also reported to be resistant to termite and marine borer attack.

Workability: Easy to work overall, though depending upon the species bubinga can have silica present, which can prematurely dull cutting edges. Also, on pieces with figured or interlocking grain, tearout can occur during planing or other machining operations. Gluing can occasionally be problematic due to bubinga’s high density and natural oils. Turns and finishes well.

Odor: Bubinga is reported to have an unpleasant scent when the lumber is still wet, which disappears after the wood is dry.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, bubinga has been reported to cause skin irritation and/or skin lesions in some individuals. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Despite being an endangered species, bubinga continues to have decent availability in North America. Prices for unfigured wood are in the mid range for an imported hardwood. Figured grain patterns such as waterfall, pommele, etc. are much more expensive.

Sustainability: The three Guibourtia species yielding bubinga are listed on CITES appendix II—which also includes finished products made of the wood (though non-commercial finished items under 10 kilograms are exempted). Additionally, of the three bubinga species, two of them (G. pellegriniana and G. tessmannii) are on the IUCN Red List as endangered, while the third, G. demeusei, is listed as near threatened.

Common Uses: Veneer, inlays, fine furniture, cabinetry, turnings, and other specialty items. Since bubinga trees can grow so large, natural-edge slabs of the wood have also been used in tabletops and other specialized projects.

Comments: An immensely popular imported African hardwood, bubinga may be loved as much for its quirky name as it is for its strength and beauty. The wood is sometimes called kevazingo, a name usually applied to its decorative rotary-cut veneer. In addition to its myriad grain patterns, its strength-to-weight ratio (specifically its MOR) also ranks among the very best in the world.

Bubinga has a close resemblance to rosewood, and is sometimes called African rosewood—though this name is more commonly applied to another Guibourtia species, Guibourtia coleosperma. However, its similarity to true rosewoods has been a double-edged sword, as the wood has been heavily exploited in recent years in the Chinese hongmu (rosewood) market—resulting in a ban not only on true rosewoods, but also bubinga as well.

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Popular Name: Rhodesian Teak, Zambesi Redwood

Scientific Name: Baikiaea plurijuga

Distribution: Primarily Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) and other countries in southern Africa

Tree Size: 15-20 m tall, 0.3-0.6 m trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 890 kg/m³

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .73, .89

Janka Hardness: 13,300 N

Modulus of Rupture: 84.3 MPa

Elastic Modulus: 8.48 GPa

Crushing Strength: 66.2 MPa

Shrinkage: Radial: 2.6%, Tangential: 4.5%, Volumetric: 6.9%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a medium reddish brown, commonly with black streaks. Sharply defined sapwood is a pale pinkish yellow.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to interlocked, with a fine, even texture and low natural luster.

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; solitary and radial multiples; small to medium pores in no specific arrangement, moderately numerous; yellowish brown mineral/gum deposits present; parenchyma vasicentric, banded; narrow to medium rays, spacing normal to fairly close.

Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable; good insect resistance, though sapwood is prone to insect attack.

Workability: Can be difficult to work because of high cutting resistance—saws slowly, and has a tendency to ride up over jointer knives. Also, due to its high silica content, cutting edges become severely blunted. However, the wood is stable in service, and glues, turns, and finishes well.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Rhodesian Teak has been reported cause respiratory irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Although Rhodesian Teak is an important timber, it’s not commonly exported. It’s sometimes available as flooring or as narrow boards; expect prices to be in the mid to upper range for an imported hardwood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is reported by the IUCN as being near threatened. Technically it doesn’t meet the Red List criteria of a vulnerable or endangered species, but is close to qualifying and/or may qualify in the near future.

Common Uses: Flooring, veneer, millwork, fretboards, and turned objects.

Comments: Despite it’s common name, this wood species is not a true Teak (Tectona genus). However, much like genuine Teak, it does have good stability and rot resistance, and is considerably harder than genuine Teak.

Rhodesian Teak’s difficult workability is a two-edged sword: the very same cutting resistance also translates to excellent wear-resistance in service, making it well suited for use as flooring or guitar fretboards. Luthiers sometimes refer to this wood as Mukushi or Zambian Teak.

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Popular Name: African mahogany, khaya, acajou d’Afrique

Scientific Name: Khaya spp., (primarily A. anthotheca and A. ivorensis;)

Distribution: Tropical Africa

Tree Size: 30-60 m tall,

                 1-1.8 m trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 545 kg/m³

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.46, 0.54

Janka Hardness: 3,800 N

Modulus of Rupture: 80.9 MPa

Elastic Modulus: 9.72 GPa

Crushing Strength: 45.3 MPa

Shrinkage: Radial: 3.4%, Tangential: 5.7%,

                  Volumetric: 9.3%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

Color/Appearance: Heartwood ranges from pale pink to a deeper reddish brown, sometimes with streaks of medium to dark reddish brown. Colors darken with age. Quartersawn surfaces exhibit a ribbon-stripe appearance.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to interlocked, with a medium to coarse texture. Good natural luster and a high degree of chatoyancy.

Rot Resistance: Rated as moderately durable; moderate to poor insect/borer resistance.

Workability: Generally easy to work, though tearout can be a problem if the grain is interlocked. May stain and react with iron-based fasteners in damp conditions. Glues, turns, and finishes well.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, African mahogany has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Available in a variety of lumber sizes, as well as plywood and veneer. Prices are moderate for an imported hardwood.

Sustainability: African mahogany is listed in CITES Appendix II under the genus-wide restriction of all Khaya species from Africa. Additionally, all the primary Khaya species of African mahogany are on the IUCN Red List. They are each listed as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range, and exploitation.

Common Uses: Veneer, plywood, turned items, furniture, boatbuilding, and interior trim.

Comments: There are currently five accepted Khaya species, four of which are harvested and sold as African mahogany. The fifth species, K. madagascariensis, is native to Comoros and northern Madagascar and yields mahogany-like wood, but isn’t commonly exported.

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Popular name: Muninga, Kiaat, Mukwa

Scientific Name: Pterocarpus angolensis

Distribution: South-central Africa

Tree Size: 12-18 m tall, 0.5-0.8 m trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 605 kg/m³

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.59, 0.60

Janka Hardness: 6,050 N

Modulus of Rupture: 98.2 MPa

Elastic Modulus: 8.73 GPa

Crushing Strength: 55.3 MPa

Shrinkage: Radial: 1.7%, Tangential: 2.8%, Volumetric: 5.4%, T/R Ratio: 1.6

Color/Appearance: Heartwood color can vary widely from a lighter golden brown, to a darker reddish or purplish brown. Colors tend to become more subdued with age.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to interlocked. Medium to coarse texture with a low natural luster.

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; large pores in no specific arrangement, very few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; mineral deposits occasionally present; growth rings indistinct; narrow rays not visible without lens, spacing close; parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates, winged, confluent, and banded (not marginal).

Rot Resistance: Heartwood is rated as being durable to moderately durable; good resistance to insect attack.

Workability: Generally easy to work with tools, though if there is interlocked grain present, it may tearout during planing operations. Moderate blunting effect on cutters. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

Odor: Has a mild, aromatic scent while being worked.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Muninga has been reported to cause skin and respiratory irritation, as well as asthma-like symptoms. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Not commonly exported to North America, Muninga is occasionally available in board form, though it can also be found as veneer or as smaller craft lumber. Prices should be moderate for an imported hardwood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is reported by the IUCN as being near threatened. Technically it doesn’t meet the Red List criteria of a vulnerable or endangered species, but is close to qualifying and/or may qualify in the near future.

Common Uses: Furniture, boatbuilding, veneer, turnings, and other small wooden objects.

Comments: Sometimes sold under its South African name Kiaat, this wood is actually closely related to the much more well-known African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii). And, much like other species in the Pterocarpus genus, Muninga has outstanding stability, and should remain quite stable in the midst of seasonal changes.

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Popular Name: African blackwood, mpingo (Swahili), grenadilla

Scientific name: Dalbergia melanoxylon 

Distribution: Dry savanna regions of central and southern Africa

Tree Size: 6-9 m tall,

                 0.6-1.0 m trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 1,270 kg/m³

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 1.08, 1.27

Janka Hardness: 16,320 N

Modulus of Rupture: 213.6 MPa

Elastic Modulus: 17.95 GPa

Crushing Strength: 72.9 MPa

Shrinkage: Radial: 2.9%, Tangential: 4.8%, Volumetric: 7.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

Color/Appearance: Often completely black, with little or no discernible grain. Occasionally slightly lighter, with a dark brown or purplish hue. The pale yellow sapwood is usually very thin, and is clearly demarcated from the darker heartwood.

Grain/Texture: Grain is typically straight; fine, even texture and good natural luster.

Rot Resistance: Heartwood is rated as very durable in regards to decay resistance, though only moderately resistant to insects/borers. The lighter colored sapwood is commonly attacked by powder-post beetles and other borers.

Workability: Very difficult to work with hand or machine tools, with an extreme blunting effect on cutters. African blackwood is most often used in turned objects, where it is considered to be among the very finest of all turning woods—capable of holding threads and other intricate details well. When made into clarinet or oboe bodies, the wood is typically processed on metal-working equipment, giving it a reputation as being metal-like in some of its working properties.

Odor: African blackwood has a mild—though distinctive—scent while being worked.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, African blackwood has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: African blackwood is very expensive, on par with true ebonies such as Gaboon Ebony in the Diospyros genus. Since the tree grows so slowly, and is generally small and gnarly, available boards tend to be narrow—though large clear sections have occasionally been harvested from older trees that yield bookmatched guitar backs (~8″ wide).

Sustainability: African blackwood is listed on CITES appendix II under the genus-wide restriction on all Dalbergia species—which also includes finished products made of the wood. It’s also reported by the IUCN as being near threatened. Technically it doesn’t meet the Red List criteria of a vulnerable or endangered species, but is close to qualifying and/or may qualify in the near future.

Common Uses: Musical instruments (guitars, clarinets, oboes, etc.), inlay, carving, tool handles, and other turned objects.

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Popular Name: Leadwood

Scientific Name: Combretum imberbe

Distribution: From South Africa north to Tanzania

Tree Size: 10-20 m tall, 0.3-0.6 m trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 1220 kg/m³

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.96, 1.22

Janka Hardness: 15,880 N

Modulus of Rupture: 144.5 MPa

Elastic Modulus: 17.20 GPa

Crushing Strength: 68.6 MPa

Shrinkage: Radial: 2.0%, Tangential: 4.7%, Volumetric: 6.8%, T/R Ratio: 2.4*

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a rich, reddish brown to dark brown; color darkens with age. Clearly demarcated sapwood is a pale yellow.

Grain/Texture: Knots and other grain irregularities are not uncommon. Fine uniform texture. 

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; sometimes exclusively solitary; large pores sometimes arranged in radial/diagonal patterns, very few; heartwood mineral/gum deposits common; parenchyma vasicentric and lozenge; narrow rays, spacing fairly close to close.

Rot Resistance: Reported to be very durable, with excellent insect resistance and weathering characteristics.

Workability: Generally difficult to work on account of its density; sharp cutters must be used to avoid tearout. Can also give problems in gluing and finishing. Turns superbly.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although there are no specific reports on Combretum imberbe, other species in the Combretum genus (particularly C. kraussii) have been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Not offered very often for sale, Leadwood is occasionally available as turning blanks and small lumber. Prices are likely to be high for an imported hardwood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Common Uses: Carving, furniture, turned objects, and other small specialty items.

Comments: Smaller trees are used as fuelwood, as the wood burns slowly at high temperatures.

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