mahogany species guide

Mahogany

is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus Swietenia, indigenous to the Americas and part of the pantropical chinaberry family, Meliaceae. Mahogany is used commercially for a wide variety of goods, due to its coloring and durable nature.

Full Answer

What are the different types of mahogany?

Types of Mahogany Wood

• Honduras Mahogany. Found primarily in Central America and Mexico, the Honduras mahogany ( Swietenia humilis) is a very popular mahogany species that has a very vibrant color and grain pattern.
• Cuban Mahogany. ...
• Big-Leaf Mahogany. ...

Is mahogany an expensive wood?

Mahogany is one of the most expensive woods in the world. Apart from construction pieces, mahogany wood dining plates can be bought for anywhere from $25 to $55 per plate; furniture pieces like a mahogany conference table could potentially cost up to $1,200.

Is mahogany a natural wood?

Santos Mahogany – Natural (exotic hardwood flooring) is a hard, dense, open-grained wood that has an inherent, traditional warmth. Flooring type describes the flooring category.

Is Philippine mahogany a true mahogany?

Phillipine mahogany is not real mahogany. It’s Shorea, a southeast Asian Dipterocarp genus. Mahogany comes from several species of Swietenia, native to the Americas. As far as hardness, it’s probably comparable to mahogany, but talk about machining poorly. Shorea is the worst.

How many different types of mahogany is there?

The three species are: Honduran or big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), with a range from Mexico to southern Amazonia in Brazil, the most widespread species of mahogany and the only genuine mahogany species commercially grown today.

Which variety of mahogany is best?

Swietenia macrophylla is also commonly referred to as Peruvian mahogany, big leaf mahogany, bigleaf mahogany, Honduran mahogany or Honduras mahogany. It is the most common substitute for Cuban mahogany, which is hailed as one of the best woods for furniture.

How do you identify mahogany species?

Check the corners of wood to spot a veneer. Genuine mahogany end grain will have marginal parenchyma, or rows of light brown cells at the border of every growth ring you can see in the end grain. The presence of these is a strong suggestion of Swietenia species, which is the species of tree mahogany comes from.

Why is mahogany illegal?

Following the path of ivory, in 2003, mahogany was listed on the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as a species in need of strict regulation to prevent its extinction. Because Peruvian mahogany is traded in violation of CITES, it is illegal to trade or possess it under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Are there different types of Mahogany Wood?

It's sold under a variety of common names, including American Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany, Big-Leaf Mahogany, and Brazilian Mahogany. Despite the abundance of common names, they usually all refer to just one species—when in doubt, verify the scientific name: Swietenia macrophylla.

How many years does it take to grow mahogany tree?

Mahogany trees get ready for timber harvest in 12 years and gives seeds once in five years. The cost of its seeds is very high and they are sold up to one thousand rupees per kg while its wood is easily available in bulk for Rs 2000 to 2200 per cubic feet.

Is Philippine mahogany real mahogany?

For many years the Meranti wood species has been known as “Philippine Mahogany.” Philippine Mahogany is a term that generally applies to a number of wood species native to southeast Asia. Confusingly, Philippine Mahogany is not actually a type of Mahogany at all.

What is the difference between Sapele and African mahogany?

3:475:31It's it's a much straighter ribbon strike and it builds a lot easier than the African rivers. RightMoreIt's it's a much straighter ribbon strike and it builds a lot easier than the African rivers. Right now we both these woods ending in butyl II. There's more quarter-sawn or ribbit male.

Is African mahogany real mahogany?

The main difference between African mahogany and its South American counterpart is the wood's color variation, often appearing as a series of light and dark bands or as a ribbon figure. The African species occasionally has interlocked grain, making it more difficult to work with than genuine mahogany.

Is it illegal to possess mahogany?

"This wood is illegal as a matter of both U.S. and international law. It is illegal to trade in it, to import it, and to possess it. Even so, the Bush administration has done nothing to stop Peruvian mahogany from entering the country," said Carroll Muffett, director of Defenders of Wildlife's International Program.

Why is mahogany bad for the environment?

It won't share its position in the food chain and if you don't like it, GTFO. It just so happens that soil with a serving of acidity that Mahogany loves so much isn't so good for other organisms. This makes them very invasive and able to choke out other plants.

Why is mahogany so expensive?

Mahogany is so expensive because it has a high demand and is becoming increasingly hard to acquire. The high demand of Mahogany is due to its pleasing appearance, dark fine grain, and long lasting durability. Mahogany has also become more scarce leading to a lack of supply and higher prices.

1- Cuban Mahogany

Historically this is what people talked about when they discussed Mahogany.

2- Honduran Mahogany

Honduran Mohagany is what’s left of genuine Mohagany, now that Cuban Mahogany is not available.

3- African Mahogany

African Mahogany refers to a number of different trees, all from Africa. It’s the most widely available substitute for genuine Mahogany.

4- Mountain Mahogany

Mountain Mahogany is a highly dense wood that is not often available for commercial sale, at least in bulk.

6- Swamp Mahogany

Swamp Mahogany is a tree from Australia though it’s now being grown worldwide, especially in warmer climates.

Where does African mahogany grow?

African Mahogany: African mahogany is in the Khaya genus. It grows in central Africa from the western coast, eastward in a broad band. The two commercial lumber species are Khaya ivorensis and K. anthotheca. Two other species that are not commercially important are K. senegalensis and K. grandfoIiola. This is certainly an excellent wood and is quite similar to Honduras mahogany in many ways. All these species have many local names. Harvesting over the past centuries has again limited the supplies of this species for the future.

What is Honduras mahogany?

What is sold (in the US) as Honduras Mahogany is swietenia macrophylla, or sometimes called Bigleaf Mahogany. Often called Genuine Mahogany, but African is also lumped into that name on occasion. The original Mahogany that was prized by the Early American cabinetmakers was Cuban Mahogany - swietenia mahagoni, and is practically no longer available, at least in the US. African, as I understand it, is actually Khaya, and could be thought of as a mahogany substitute. Sapele is yet another similar species, as is Utile, Spanish cedar, and others.

What was the original mahogany cabinet?

The original Mahogany that was prized by the Early American cabinetmakers was Cuban Mahogany - swietenia mahagoni, and is practically no longer available, at least in the US. African, as I understand it, is actually Khaya, and could be thought of as a mahogany substitute.

What does FSC stand for in mahogany?

Special note: Consumers can support mahogany conservation by buying mahogany products that carry the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) trademark, which certifies that the wood comes from forests that are managed in accordance with FSC's internationally endorsed principles and criteria. Companies using FSC’s logo on wood products have demonstrated that the timber used in their products is harvested in an ecologically and socially responsible manner from well-managed forests.

Is Cuban mahogany rare?

By the mid 1800's, good lumber was becoming rare. By the late 1800's, the species had been logged into genetic impoverishment and commercial extinction. Today there are still a few trees, but they are extremely rare and should not be used as such usage will encourage harvesting and the ultimate end of this species. Other historic common names for Cuban mahogany are Caribbean mahogany, West Indian mahogany and Santo Domingo mahogany.

What is mahogany wood?

Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus Swietenia, indigenous to the Americas and part of the pantropical chinaberry family, Meliaceae .

Where is mahogany grown?

Honduran or big-leaf mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ), with a range from Mexico to southern Amazonia in Brazil, the most widespread species of mahogany and the only genuine mahogany species commercially grown today. Illegal logging of S. macrophylla, and its highly destructive environmental effects, led to the species' placement in 2003 on ...

How many tons of mahogany were imported in 1740?

Importations of mahogany into England (and excluding those to Scotland, which were recorded separately) reached 525 tons per annum by 1740, 3,688 tons by 1750, and more than 30,000 tons in 1788, the peak year of the 18th century trade.

How did the French Revolution affect the mahogany trade?

The French Revolution of 1789 and the wars that followed radically changed the mahogany trade, primarily due to the progressive collapse of the French and Spanish colonial empires, which allowed British traders into areas previously closed to them. Saint Domingue became the independent republic of Haiti, and from 1808, Spanish controlled Santo Domingo and Cuba were both open to British vessels for the first time.

Where do macrophylla grow?

mahagoni grows on the West Indian islands as far north as the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and parts of Florida; S. humilis grows in the dry regions of the Pacific coast of Central America from south-western Mexico to Costa Rica; S. macrophylla grows in Central America from Yucatan southwards and into South America, extending as far as Peru, Bolivia and extreme western Brazil. In the 20th century various botanists attempted to further define S. macrophylla in South America as a new species, such as S. candollei Pittier and S. tessmannii Harms., but many authorities consider these spurious. According to Record and Hess, all of the mahogany of continental North and South America can be considered as one botanical species, Swietenia macrophylla King.

What is the name of the tree that is not known?

The indigenous Arawak name for the tree is not known. In 1671 the word mahogany appeared in print for the first time, in John Ogilby 's America. Among botanists and naturalists, however, the tree was considered a type of cedar, and in 1759 was classified by Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) as Cedrela mahagoni.

What is mahogany lumber used for?

Mahogany is a commercially important lumber prized for its beauty, durability, and color, and used for paneling and to make furniture, boats, musical instruments and other items. The leading importer of mahogany is the United States, followed by Britain; while the largest exporter today is Peru, which surpassed Brazil after that country banned mahogany exports in 2001. It is estimated that some 80 or 90 percent of Peruvian mahogany exported to the United States is illegally harvested, with the economic cost of illegal logging in Peru placed conservatively at $40–70 million USD annually. It was estimated that in 2000, some 57,000 mahogany trees were harvested to supply the U.S. furniture trade alone.

What is genuine mahogany?

Genuine Mahogany has long been considered the ideal imported wood in terms of stability and properties favorable for finishing.

What is mahogany wood used for?

Because of the characteristics of Genuine Mahogany, the wood is used extensively in furniture making, high end door and window manufacturing, wood turning, and musical instrument production. The color is a rich and consistent brown, giving the wood a deep natural tone which is accentuated with staining and finishing.

Where does African mahogany come from?

African Mahogany. African Mahogany ( Khaya ivorensis) occurs naturally in West Africa, primarily Ghana and Cameroon. Wood from this region is consistent in grade, color, and texture, and carries a very lustrous grain appearance.

Is mahogany a hardwood?

Mahogany: Its Variations & Its Alternatives. There are many different tree species and hardwoods commonly referred to as “mahogany.”. Commercially available alternative species have gained in popularity over the last several years, although Genuine Mahogany remains the most sought-after of the “mahogany” lumbers.

Where is mahogany found?

Description: Genuine mahogany is widely distributed throughout Central and South America. It has been highly valued for its woodworking qualities and natural rich red-brown beauty since traders first began shipping it to Europe in the 16th Century.

Is mahogany wood real?

Description: Genuine mahogany is widely distributed throughout Central and South America. It has been highly valued for its woodworking qualities and natural rich red-brown beauty since traders first began shipping it to Europe in the 16th Century. It is a highly stable wood, extremely durable, easy to work with and a first choice of craftsmen for flooring, furniture, wall and ceiling paneling and high-end cabinetry. This is the original and true Mahogany wood.

What are the characteristics of mahogany?

“Rosewood.” “Teak.” “Satinwood.” Each well-known wood has along with it a set of expectations. Mahogany is no different. From the top-notch mahogany of yesterday, one would expect to encounter the following characteristics of the wood: 1 Excellent workability. Mahogany is known for its cooperative nature and easy sanding and machining, with a Goldilocks-esque balance of density thats just hard enough but not too hard. When the grain is straight and consistent, there’s not much that can go wrong. 2 Excellent stability. As much as it’s known for its workability, mahogany is equally known for its superb dimensional stability. Flat pieces will remain flat. Joints and glue-ups will remain intact. In the midst of seasonal changes in humidity, mahogany exhibits minimal shrinkage and swelling. 3 Decent rot resistance. Perhaps not to the same level as Teak or other exotic tropical timbers, but certainly respectable. Though younger plantation-grown trees aren’t quite as durable as the older wild-grown trees of centuries past. 4 Beautiful grain. Mahogany can sometimes be rather plain and almost utilitarian, but on other pieces, it ascends to the heights of sophistication. What antique bombe chest would be complete without exquisite crotch mahogany veneer drawer fronts? 5 Large, clear lumber. Mahogany trees get huge. They’re both tall and stout, yielding long, wide, knot and defect-free boards.

How to tell if a mahogany is Swietenia or Khaya?

In finished pieces: Another trick to tell Swietenia species from Khaya species, especially if you do not have access to the endgrain, is to look for ripple marks on a flatsawn surface of the wood. Basically, on many pieces of Swietenia-genus mahogany, the rays (small reddish brown slits) will collectively be arranged in neat little rows (called storied rays), which appear as minute little ripple marks that are seen clearest on flatsawn portions (see accompanying scan—you will more than likely have to view the full-size image to make out these small details). These ripple marks are sometimes (but not always) seen in Swietenia species (as well as Sapele —see further down this article), but almost never in the African Khaya species. An absence of ripple marks is ambiguous (could be either genera), while the presence of ripple marks strongly points to a Swietenia species.

How to identify Swietenia species?

What this means is that there will be rows of light brown cells at the border of every growth ring— somewhat mimicking the annual growth rings found in temperate ring-porous woods. While other lookalikes such as African Mahogany (Khaya spp.) will generally not have these marginal parenchyma bands (though the color of the wood itself may change from light to dark simulating growth rings as well, the tight parenchyma rows will usually be lacking). Presence of marginal parenchyma strongly suggests a Swietenia species, though in rare circumstances, Khaya species can also display these cells as well.

What is Sapele wood?

Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) Similar to mahogany: Very large trees yield clear quality lumber that resembles genuine mahogany in both appearance and mechanical properties. Different from mahogany: Sapele is a star in its own right, and has its own unique characteristics.

Is African mahogany real?

Depending on who you talk to, African Mahogany in the Khaya genus may or not be considered the real deal. For most, it’s close enough in appearance and characteristics to carry the mahogany label without controversy, but purists will be quick to draw a distinction between the mahoganies of the New World and those from Africa.

What is the name of the wood that is grown on plantations?

It’s sold under a variety of common names, including American Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany, Big-Leaf Mahogany, and Brazilian Mahogany.

Is mahogany a genus?

Along the outermost fringes of what most consider to be called mahogany, there are a handful of other genera and species that are technically related to mahogany: much like the African Mahogany species in the Khaya genus, this somewhat eclectic group of hardwoods are all members of the Meliaceae family.

Summary

Description

Overview

History of American mahogany trade

Uses

Mahogany as an invasive species