Brazilian Rosewood

Brazilian Rosewood (D. latifolia pictured)

Common Name(s): Brazilian Rosewood, Bahia Rosewood, Jacaranda Scientific Name: Dalbergia nigra Distribution: Brazil Tree Size: 100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 52 lbs/ft3 (830 kg/m3) Basic Specific Gravity: .68 Hardness: 2,270 lbf (10,100 N) Bending Strength: 18,970 lbf/in2 (130,830 kPa) Elasticity: 1,880,000 lbf/in2 (12,970 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 2.9%, Tangential: 4.6%, Volumetric: 8.5%, T/R Ratio: 1.6

Color/Appearance: Brazilian Rosewood can vary in color from a darker chocolate brown to a lighter purplish or reddish brown, with darker contrasting streaks.

Grain/Pore: Brazilian Rosewood has a medium to coarse texture with medium-sized open pores. The grain tends to be straight, but can occasionally be interlocked, spiraled, or wavy.

Durability: Heartwood is rated as very durable to decay resistance, and is also resistant to insect attack.

Workability: Easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though it may have a slight blunting effect on cutting edges.  Brazilian Rosewood turns, and finishes well, though it can sometimes be difficult to glue due to its high natural oil content.

Smell: Has a distinct, rose-like scent when being worked.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Brazilian Rosewood has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price Range: Likely to be very expensive, and from questionable sources. Trade of Brazilian Rosewood is highly regulated,  and sales are generally limited to reclaimed or pre-existing pieces of lumber.

Comments: Brazilian Rosewood, like other exploited hardwoods such as Cuban Mahogany or Teak, has earned worldwide fame. Historically, it has perhaps been the species most frequently associated with the term “Rosewood,” and with its strength, hardness, stability, beauty, and acoustic properties, it’s easy to see why Dalbergia nigra has been used for everything from flooring to xylophone keys.

Due to the high demand and limited supply of Brazilian Rosewood, and its continued exploitation in recent decades, it has been listed in the most restrictive category of endangered species: CITES Appendix I. Not only is the lumber restricted from being imported or exported from country to country, but even finished products made of Brazilian Rosewood may not cross international boundaries.

Because of these heavy (yet justifiable) restrictions, several substitutes from the Dalbergia genus have been used in recent years, such as East Indian Rosewood, Honduran Rosewood, and Cocobolo.

Some common uses for Brazilian Rosewood include: veneer, fine furniture, cabinetry, flooring, musical instruments (acoustic guitars, piano cases, etc.), turned objects, and other small wooden specialty items.

Related Species:

• African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon)
• Burmese Rosewood (Dalbergia oliveri)
• Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa)
• East Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia)
• Honduran Rosewood (Dalbergia stevensonii)
• Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis)
• Madagascar Rosewood (Dalbergia baronii)
• Sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo)
• Tulipwood (Dalbergia decipularis)

Scans/Pictures: There are currently no pictures of this exact wood species, but a similar species within the Dalbergia genus is being substituted (D. latifolia). If you’d like to contribute a wood sample of this specific species to be scanned, (even small pieces of veneer can be sent), please use the contact form.

East Indian Rosewood (sanded)

East Indian Rosewood (sealed)