Central American mahogany

Honduras mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)

Description

A timber from the tree, Swietenia macrophylla, native to Central and South America. Central American mahogany has a straight grain and fine, uniform texture. The reddish brown heartwood gives a lustrous surface when polished. Cuban mahogany is used for furniture, cabinetwork, airplane propellers, veneer, and printers blocks.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Swietenia macrophylla; mogno americano (Port.); vero mogano (It.); South American mahogany; Cuban mahogany; Honduras mahogany; baywood

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Color: ranges from pink or salmon to dark reddish brown
• Density = 35-48 ppcf

Additional Images

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  Cuban mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
  radial section at 100x

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  Cuban mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
  tangential section at 100x

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  Cuban mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
  transverse section at 100x

Resources and Citations

• F. H. Titmuss, Commercial Timbers of the World, The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965 Comment: 35-48 ppcf

• Pam Hatchfield, Pollutants in the Museum Environment, Archetype Press, London, 2002

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: density=41 ppcf (0.66 g/cm3)