Cutch (wood)

Pieces of cutch

Description

A hard, heavy wood obtained from the Acacia catechu tree native to southeast Asia and India. Cutch trees are widely known for the dye extracted from the heart wood and for the gum exudate that is similar to Gum arabic. Cutch wood is a dark reddish-brown with a fine, straight grain. It is used locally for tool handles, utensils, furniture, boats, and house construction. A natural brown cutch dyestuff and tanning agent are obtained from the heartwood, leaves, pods, and twigs of these trees.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Acacia catechu; acacia à cachou (Fr.); cachoutier (Fr.); pau-ferro da Índia (Port.); Bengal cutch; baga; black catechu; black cutch; cachu; Indian acacia; red cutch

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Specific gravity = 0.98
• Density = 61 ppcf

Resources and Citations

• Smithsonian Institute: Collection images