Greenheart

Colour and Appearance – Heartwood can be highly variable in color, and is sometimes sold sorted into color categories of black, brown, yellow, and white—though there doesn’t seem to be any difference in strength or physical properties between the different colors. Generally the heartwood tends to be a pale brown to olive green color, sometimes with darker streaks. Yellowish sapwood is not clearly demarcated from the heartwood.

Grain and Texture – Grain tends to be straight to interlocked, with a fine to medium grain and good natural luster.

Rot Resistant – Greenheart is rated as very durable, with excellent insect/borer resistance. It’s also considered to be one of the best-suited woods for use in marine environments, and has good weathering and wear characteristics.

Workability – Generally somewhat difficult to work on account of its density, with a moderate to high blunting effect on cutters. Sections with interlocked grain should be machined with care to avoid grain tear out. Gluing can be difficult. Turns and finishes well. Responds moderately well to steam-bending.

Odor – Freshly cut green wood can have an aromatic scent, though the dried wood has little to no characteristic odor.

Allergies – Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Greenheart has been reported as a sensitizer. Greenheart has also been observed to cause a number of other health effects, such as wheezing, cardiac and intestinal disorders, severe throat irritation, and the tendency for wood splinters to become infected.

Sustainability – This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being data deficient. It was formerly listed on the Red List as vulnerable, but this listing has been disputed by the Guyana Forestry Commission.^[1]

Common Uses: Boatbuilding, Bridges, docks, decking, posts, fishing rods, pool cues, and other turned wood items.

Comments: True to form, the Latin name given for the genus is Chlorocardium, being a combination of chloro (green) and cardia (heart). The wood is sometimes called Demerara greenheart (Demerara is a historical name for a Dutch colony that more or less corresponds to modern-day Guyana) to help distinguish it from other woods sometimes called greenheart. Although not common, Ipe is sometimes referred to as Suriname Greenheart, while Okan is sometimes called African Greenheart—though neither species bears close relation to true Greenheart.