North America

SATIN NUT

Satin walnut, also known as “red gum,” is particularly popular in the southeastern United States. The cream-colored to reddish-dark brown surface has a silky shine depending on the incidence of light.

Fine stripes on the tangential and radial surfaces create a marble-like effect that gives the wood an exceptionally decorative character. When untreated, the satin walnut wood exudes a subtle scent of vanilla.

Europe

PLUM

The plum is a tree that is mainly grown in Central Europe and belongs to the rose family. It was probably brought home by Alexander the Great from his campaigns. The wood of the plum tree is characterized by a very high density, making it ideal for turning and polishing. Therefore, it is often used to make simple woodwind instruments such as recorders.

The wood has a dark reddish-brown color, with the core often traversed by brown-red or purplish-red veins and flame-like patterns.

Africa

AMAZAKOUE

The tropical deciduous tree Amazakoue, which grows in the coastal regions of West Africa, is also known as Amazaque, Palissandro, Ovengkol or Ovangkol.

Its wood is characterised by a brown to olive-brown colour and can have a veined, striped or flamed grain. As a tropical wood, the Amazakoue tree provides a heavy, robust material that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Due to its dark colour, it is often considered an alternative to walnut wood.

Europe

PLANE TREE

Plane tree wood is heavy, quite hard, tough and at the same time elastic. It has a fine, needle-cracked structure and a natural shine, as well as a noticeable smell when fresh.

Due to its high malleability, the wood is used in a variety of ways. The plane tree, originally from the Orient, occurs predominantly in the northern hemisphere in the temperate climate zones of Europe, Asia and North America and is particularly widespread in the eastern Mediterranean regions, the Balkans and Kashmir. In Europe, the plane tree is cultivated as an ornamental tree on streets, in gardens and parks. It prefers nutrient-rich, deep soils in protected locations and grows up to a height of 900 m above sea level.

Africa

PADOUK

The light, narrow to wide sapwood stands out clearly from the red-purple-brown colored heartwood, which often has darker color stripes. Under the influence of light, the color fades to brown-purple or yellowish brown.

Padouk can be used widely due to its special coloring and good wood properties. Veneers are used for furniture and interior design, solid wood is mainly used for xylophone bars, but also for small furniture, rifle stocks, parquet, boat building, frame wood, decorative boxes, precision devices, handles, knife handles and turned jewelry. In Africa, Padouk is also used in outdoor construction due to its high natural durability.

South America

SUCUPIRA

Heartwood yellowish to dark brown, more rarely also reddish brown, sharply separated from the narrow, yellowish-white to straw-colored sapwood. Growth zones are not clearly marked. Wood with scattered porosity, a coarse texture, sometimes with fine, light-colored markings.

It is often used as structural wood in outdoor construction for mechanically and biologically highly stressed applications, e.g. used for bridges, sleepers, floating docks, bedding, ramps, container floors, vehicle construction and floors; occasionally also for decorative veneers, tool handles, wood turning.

Africa

WENGÉ

The narrow sapwood is light yellow to gray. The freshly cut heartwood is light brown-yellowish, darkens to black-brown under the influence of light and then stands out clearly from the sapwood. In order to develop a uniform dark brown color, Wengé must be steamed after cutting. Pores are arranged scattered and sometimes filled with light or dark ingredients.

Due to its particularly decorative wood appearance, Wengé is now used almost exclusively in high-quality interior design, especially for effective veneers, parquet, furniture, wood turnery or inlays.