English Walnut (Juglans regia), also called European or Persian Walnut, is one of the world's classic furniture woods. Despite the name, it's native to parts of Europe and Central Asia, and it's the same tree that produces the common walnuts sold in stores.The heartwood ranges from warm honey brown to rich chocolate, often with subtle grey, olive or purple undertones. The grain is typically straight, but curly, crotch and burl figure can be spectacular, and burl veneer from this species has graced fine furniture and car dashboards for generations.Compared with American Black Walnut, it's usually lighter and warmer, with a slightly finer texture and softer contrast between heartwood and sapwood. It machines beautifully, turns well and finishes very smoothly, developing a deep luster under oil. It's not as hard as many tropical woods, but it offers an excellent balance of stability, workability and durability.It's a favorite for fine cabinetry, heirloom furniture, gun stocks, paneling, carving, boxes and inlay. For craftsmen who value elegance over brute hardness, it's hard to beat.

Kosso (Pterocarpus erinaceus), also sold as Senegal Rosewood in some markets, is a West African hardwood with gorgeous color and grain. It looks similar to Kiaat, another member of the Pterocarpus genus.The heartwood ranges through warm reddish-brown to deep red-purple tones, often with darker streaks and attractive figure, and it finishes to a rich luster. Like other Pterocarpus species, it's durable, stable and works well, turning and finishing nicely.Its beauty has made it heavily exploited for “Hongmu,” the traditional rosewood-style furniture popular in China, and it's now considered an endangered species. That demand has made legal supply very limited, and it's become one of the rarer woods we carry.Kosso suits boxes, cabinetry, inlay, knife handles, pens and specialty pieces where its color can shine. Our stock is limited, and we don't expect to be able to replace it once it's gone. For a similar look, see African Padauk and Kiaat.

Argentine Osage Orange (Maclura tinctoria), also called Fustic or Mora, is a South American relative of the domestic Osage Orange, with the same bright yellow-orange color. It grows from Mexico to Argentina, and was once a major source of yellow dye.It usually comes in larger sizes, with cleaner lumber and fewer defects than the US species. Like its cousin, its color deepens over time toward a richer golden brown, and a finish with UV protection slows the change. The grain is straight to interlocked with a medium texture.It's hard and dense, so it's tough on tools, but it turns and finishes well, polishing to a lovely luster. Sharp tools and light passes give the cleanest results. It's naturally durable, sharing much of its cousin's resistance to rot.It's a great choice for boxes, inlay, carving, cabinetry, crafts, bows, turnings and specialty pieces where you want a splash of color, and its larger, cleaner boards make it easier to use than the domestic species. For another bright yellow, see Yellowheart.

Spalted Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) comes from Southeast Asia, where fungi create wild, spiderweb-like patterns of black lines through the wood. The tamarind tree is better known for its sweet-sour fruit pods, but its timber makes some of the most dramatic spalted stock around.The spalting is mostly in the creamy sapwood, which is prone to the fungi and insects that cause it. The result adds real character and excitement to every piece, and no two are alike. Where heartwood is present, it's a much darker reddish-brown to purplish-brown, which makes for striking contrast.It's moderately difficult to work but turns and finishes well. Sometimes the decay goes deeper than the surface suggests, leaving soft spots, so expect some waste and consider stabilizing softer pieces before turning. Use good dust collection and a dust mask, as fungal spores add to the dust.Spalted Tamarind is a favorite with turners and box makers, and it's also used for inlay, knife scales, pen blanks and other specialty pieces. For another spalted wood, see Spalted Maple.

Chakte Viga (Caesalpinia platyloba) is a vibrant Central American wood that has been emerging from relative obscurity over the past decade or so. It's thought to be closely related to Pernambuco, the classic violin-bow wood, and shares some of its acoustic properties.The colors range from orange to golden brown, with gold, red and occasionally green accents, set against pale off-white to yellow sapwood. Like many orange woods, it deepens toward a richer reddish-brown over time. The grain is straight, sometimes interlocked, and the texture fine with excellent luster.It's dense and hard, but it works easily with sharp tools and finishes well, and a clear lacquer can bring out a shimmering, three-dimensional chatoyance. It turns beautifully, which makes it a favorite for pens, bowls and small turnings.We think it has real potential as a guitar tonewood and for fine furniture, and it's a great choice for turnings, inlay, boxes and accents. If you like its color, see also African Padauk and Canarywood.

Canarywood (Centrolobium spp.), also called Canary or Yellow Tarara, grows across South America, from Panama to southern Brazil. It's best known for its lively mix of colors, which makes every board a little different.The heartwood ranges from pale yellow through pink and orange to dark reddish-brown, and the best boards show the whole range in a single piece, often with darker streaks. More evenly colored boards can look a lot like Cherry. The colors deepen and mellow over time toward a warmer reddish-brown.It's durable and fairly hard, yet still easy to work. The grain is usually straight, sometimes interlocked, with a medium texture, and it turns, glues and finishes well, taking a high polish. That means you get a colorful South American hardwood without the usual struggle, and at a reasonable price.Canarywood is a great choice for boxes, turnings, inlay, bandings, furniture accents and veneer, and the right board makes a good, lower-priced alternative to Tulipwood. Not to be confused with Red Canarywood, which is a different wood from another genus.

Brown Ebony (Libidibia paraguariensis), also called Brazilian Ebony or Guayacan, is a South American hardwood. It isn't a true ebony, but it shares the ebonies' density and hardness, which is where the name comes from.The heartwood is a deep chocolate to dark brown, sometimes with darker streaks and a subtle olive or reddish tint. It's a little odd to call a brown wood “ebony,” but once you feel its weight, the comparison makes sense. The texture is fine and even, with a good natural luster.It's very dense and hard to work, so sharp tools and patience are needed, and it can dull blades quickly. The effort pays off in a smooth, glassy finish with a rich, deep color, and it turns exceptionally well.Brown Ebony is popular for turning, musical instrument parts, inlay, carving, knife handles and decorative pieces. It isn't often available, so it's a nice one to add to your collection. For true ebonies, see Gabon Ebony and Macassar Ebony.

Amazon Rosewood (Dalbergia spruceana) is a true rosewood from the Brazilian Amazon. It has long been considered a good substitute for Brazilian Rosewood, but its looks and tone are good enough to stand on their own.It tends toward a darker reddish-brown than Brazilian Rosewood, often with darker streaks and occasional figure. It's noticeably heavier too: Amazon Rosewood will usually sink in water, while dry Brazilian Rosewood should float.Its density makes it challenging to work, and its oils can make gluing tricky, so wipe joints with a solvent first. It rewards the effort with a fine, lustrous polish. Like other true rosewoods, it's very durable and stable once dry, and it has the classic rosewood scent when cut.Amazon Rosewood is valued by guitar makers for backs, sides and fretboards, where it gives a rich, complex tone. It's also used for fine furniture, inlay, turnings, knife handles and veneer. See also East Indian Rosewood.

Thuya Burl (Tetraclinis articulata) comes from Morocco and is one of the most beautiful burls you can buy. The burl grows at the base of the tree, partly underground, and is carefully dug out by hand.It's a rich reddish-brown, with dense, swirling figure and clusters of tiny “eyes” that vary from block to block. It also has a distinctive, spicy scent similar to Western Red Cedar, which comes through every time you cut or sand it.The figure makes it prone to tear-out, so work it carefully with very sharp tools and light passes, and expect the occasional natural void or inclusion. It sands well and polishes to a deep, glowing finish, and many pieces need nothing more than oil or wax to show off their figure.Moroccan craftsmen in Essaouira have made fine boxes and inlaid work from Thuya for generations. Highly figured pieces make stunning knife handles, boxes, pens, inlay and other accent pieces. It's a premium wood and the price reflects that. For another prized burl, see Masur Birch.

Tulipwood (Dalbergia decipularis), also called Brazilian Tulipwood or Pinkwood, is one of the most coveted and seldom-seen rosewoods. It grows in northeastern Brazil and is unrelated to Tulip Poplar, which is sometimes sold under the same name.The heartwood is cream to salmon, striped with reds, violets, purples, pinks and rose, and the sapwood is pale yellow. It has a mild, sweet scent when cut. The color slowly fades with exposure to light, so a UV-resistant finish helps preserve it.The grain is mostly straight, sometimes wavy or irregular. It's dense and oily, which makes it challenging to work and glue, so keep tools sharp and wipe joints with a solvent first. Despite its open grain, it sands very smooth and polishes to a pleasing luster.The trees are small, so long, wide boards are rare and command a premium, and most Tulipwood comes in craft-sized pieces. It's been a favorite for fine furniture inlay and banding for centuries, and it's used for boxes, turnings, pool cues, bows and instrument parts. For a lower-priced alternative, see Canarywood.

Yellowheart (Euxylophora paraensis), also called Pau Amarelo or Brazilian Satinwood, was once one of the most popular yellow woods around. True Yellowheart has now become almost impossible to find.The tree grows only in a small part of the Brazilian Amazon, mostly in Pará and Maranhão, where it occurs naturally at low densities. Decades of selective logging, along with forest clearing for cattle pasture and farming, are thought to have cut its wild population by half or more over the past 60 years. In 2014 Brazil added it to its official list of threatened species, which bans cutting, transporting and selling wild trees, and supply to the US has all but dried up. Much of the “Yellowheart” sold today is actually a different species.The color ranges from pale yellow to bright yellow and gold, and premium boards show a satiny, shimmering figure. It's fine-textured, durable and easy to work, and it finishes beautifully.We still have a small amount of legacy stock, bought before the ban, and once it's gone we won't be able to replace it. For the same golden look in a wood that's readily available, see Yellow Rosa or East Indian Satinwood.

Pernambuco (Paubrasilia echinata), also called Brazilwood, is the wood that gave Brazil its name. After Portuguese explorers arrived in 1500, they found it yielded a valuable red dye, called it pau brasil (“ember-red wood”), and traded it across Europe.The heartwood ranges from muted yellow-orange through orange to red or reddish-brown, slowly darkening with age. The grain is generally straight, sometimes interlocked. It grows only in Brazil's Atlantic coastal forest, much of which has been cleared, which is why the species is now so tightly protected.Despite its density, it works very well, and its fine texture finishes nicely with an impressive natural luster.Since the late 18th century, Pernambuco has been the finest wood for violin, viola, cello and bass bows, prized for its unique combination of strength, flexibility, density and responsiveness. No other wood has matched it. It's also used for carving, inlay and turnings. For a related wood, see Chakte Viga.

Pink Ivory (Berchemia zeyheri), also known as Red Ivory, is one of the rarest and most sought-after woods in the world. It's native to southern Africa, where it's traditionally associated with Zulu royalty, and many guitar makers see it as a “holy grail” tonewood.It's prized for its dazzling pink to red color, which ranges from pale pink to deep red, and occasional striking figure such as curl or chatoyant stripes. The texture is fine and even, with a lovely natural luster.It's very hard and dense, popular with carvers and turners, but it can be difficult to work and dulls blades. It turns beautifully and polishes to a glassy finish, and a finish with UV protection helps preserve its color. The trees are small, rarely much over 35 feet tall with trunks around a foot across, and harvesting in South Africa is limited by permit.As a result, Pink Ivory is mostly available in small, craft-sized pieces. It's used for turnings, knife handles, chess pieces, pool cues, pens, inlay and instrument parts. For another bright red wood, see Bloodwood.

Redheart (Erythroxylum spp.), also called Chakte Kok, is a Central and South American hardwood with a bright pink to red color.The base color ranges from dull to bright pink, pinkish-red or red, with streaks of darker red, yellow, orange and occasionally purple. Like most red woods, it fades toward a brownish tone with light exposure, so a finish with UV protection is a good idea.The grain is often irregular or wild, sometimes straight, and can be wonderfully dramatic. The texture is fine and smooth, though it has little natural luster until finished. It works, turns, glues and finishes well, but dull blades can burn it when resawing, leaving a black resin that takes patient sanding.Redheart is a popular turning wood for pens, bowls and small pieces, and it's increasingly used for custom guitar necks and fretboards, inlay, boxes and accents. Its color makes it a great contrast wood in cutting boards and mixed-wood projects. For another bright red, see Bloodwood.

Holly (Ilex opaca), also called American Holly, is the closest thing to a truly white wood. It's prized for its consistent pale color, which shows little to no visible grain, and it holds that color well over time.The wood is ivory white to very pale grey, with a fine, even texture. Holly has to be dried quickly after cutting to prevent blue-grey fungal discoloration, so it's usually harvested in winter and kiln-dried promptly. That's why truly white boards command a premium.It glues, stains and finishes well, though interlocked grain and knots can make it tricky to work. It turns and carves beautifully. A clear, hard finish helps it keep its color, and it isn't durable outdoors.Traditionally used for inlay, stringing, marquetry and accents, it's becoming popular with turners for its looks and turning qualities. It's sometimes dyed black as an ebony substitute for decorative work, though it isn't dense enough for most instrument uses. For a creamy yellow alternative, see Boxwood.

Granadillo (Platymiscium spp.), also known as Hormigo or Macacauba, is known throughout Central America as “the wood that sings.” It's been a popular rosewood alternative with guitar builders ever since Brazilian Rosewood was placed under the strictest CITES protection in 1992.It's slightly less dense than a typical rosewood and much less oily. The base is brown, highlighted with muted purples, reds, oranges and golds, and the color deepens toward a richer reddish-brown with age. The grain is mostly straight, sometimes interlocked, with a medium texture.It works and finishes very well, with a natural luster, and strong chatoyance often appears after finish sanding. Because it's less oily than true rosewoods, it glues more easily, which makes it a practical choice for instrument building.Granadillo is a beautiful, slightly more affordable rosewood substitute with more than 50 years of use as a tonewood, especially for guitar backs, sides and fretboards, and for marimba bars. It's also popular for furniture, handles, inlay and turnings. See also its relative, Red Canarywood.

Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis), also called Brazilian Kingwood or Violetwood, is one of the densest rosewoods and one of the most colorful. It grows in northeastern Brazil and has been prized by European furniture makers since the 17th century, when it was a favorite for royal cabinetry and marquetry.The reddish-brown heartwood is streaked with dark violet to black, and the pale yellow sapwood often adds dramatic contrast. The grain is usually straight, sometimes wavy or interlocked, with a fine, even texture and natural luster.Logs tend to check and crack, so clean, defect-free boards are rare, especially in larger sizes. It's very rot- and insect-resistant, and its oils can make gluing tricky, so wipe joints with a solvent first. It's also hard on tools, but it turns beautifully and polishes to a glassy finish.Kingwood is a favorite for fine inlay, banding, custom knife handles, pens and turnings, and it's also used for gun stocks, small boxes and veneer. For a softer-colored rosewood, see Tulipwood.

Amara Ebony (Diospyros celebica) is generally regarded as the same species as Macassar Ebony, with Amara coming only from Indonesia. Its different look is put down to local soil conditions, and it's a wood rarely seen in the US.It's typically deep chocolate brown with pink striping, but we've also seen boards with greens and reds, more like Malaysian Blackwood, and others with gold and orange hues. Some show “landscape” grain patterns that make them look like a cross between the two. The sapwood is tan.The grain is more often wavy or irregular than straight, with a fine texture and a nice natural luster. We've found it slightly less dense than Macassar Ebony, and despite its density it works well, turning and polishing to a beautiful finish. Sharp tools help, and the fine dust is best handled with good extraction.Amara is a distinctive choice for carving, inlay, turnings, boxes, furniture accents, veneer and specialty pieces, anywhere you want an ebony that's a little out of the ordinary.

Indian Ebony (Diospyros ebenum), also called Ceylon Ebony, is a true ebony from southern India and Sri Lanka that has long been used in place of Gabon Ebony. At first glance the two can be almost impossible to tell apart.It's jet black, often with subtle brown or muted orange streaks and occasional pale sapwood. The grain is straight or slightly irregular and the texture very fine, and its natural oils give it excellent polish and a deep luster.It's a little less hard than Gabon Ebony but still very hard and durable, and turners love how smoothly it works. It cuts cleanly with sharp tools and holds fine detail, though its oils mean gluing benefits from a solvent wipe first.Indian Ebony is used for high-end guitar fretboards, especially by players who want the look of ebony with a slightly softer feel, as well as for turnings, inlay, chess pieces and carving. Exports from South Asia are tightly restricted, so supply in the US is scarce, and it offers the look of Gabon Ebony at a somewhat more accessible price when you can find it.

Bloodwood (Brosimum rubescens), also known as Satine, is a South American hardwood that keeps growing in popularity in the US. Its deep red color is the big draw, and unlike many red woods, it doesn't fade or darken as much over time.The heartwood is mostly red, sometimes with patches of orange or pale yellow, and it has a satiny, highly chatoyant finish. It's hard and dense, so sharp tools help, but the results are worth it.Its density makes it ideal for electric guitar fretboards and acoustic backs and sides, and turners love its looks.Bloodwood is also popular for knife and gun handles, inlay and trim. It offers striking color at a very reasonable price for an imported exotic, though exceptional boards command a premium. Its close relative, Snakewood, is in the same genus.

Castello Boxwood (Calycophyllum multiflorum) is a South American wood related to Lemonwood. It isn't a true boxwood, but it has a very similar pale yellow to light brown color.The grain is generally straight, sometimes slightly interlocked, and the texture fine and smooth. It's moderately durable and turns, glues and finishes well. Its small, tightly packed pores make it fairly tough to cut, despite its generally cooperative nature.It dries slowly, so it's often sold green or partly green. The trees are small and supply through US channels is limited, so prices reflect that.Castello Boxwood is a popular choice for turning, carving, inlay and bows. For the real thing, see Boxwood.