Purpleheart

Purpleheart (Peltogyne spp.)

Common Name(s): Purpleheart, Amaranth

Scientific Name: Peltogyne spp.

Distribution: Central and South America (from Mexico down to southern Brazil)

Tree Size: 100-170 ft (30-50 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 61 lbs/ft³ (980 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .79

Hardness: 2,390 lb_f (10,630 N)

Bending Strength: 22,000 lb_f/in² (151,700 kPa)

Elasticity: 2,586,000 lb_f/in² (17,830 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 3.2%, Tangential: 6.1%, Volumetric: 9.9%, T/R Ratio: 1.9

Color/Appearance: When freshly cut the heartwood of Purpleheart is a dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple. This color-shift can be slowed and minimized by using a UV inhibiting finish on the wood. For more information, see the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods.

Grain/Pore: Has a medium texture with small pores. The grain is usually straight, but can also be wavy or irregular.

Durability: Purpleheart is rated as being very durable, and resists both decay and most insect attacks, though it has been reported to be susceptible to attack from marine borers.

Workability: Working with Purpleheart can present some unique challenges: if the wood is heated with dull tools, or if cutter speeds are too high, Purpleheart will exude a gummy resin that can clog tools and complicate the machining process. Depending on the grain orientation, can be difficult to plane without tearout. Purpleheart also has a moderate dulling effect on cutters.

Smell: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.

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

Price Range: Considering that it is an imported exotic hardwood, Purpleheart has a moderate price. It should compare similarly with African Mahogany or Padauk in price.

Comments: Mechanical data was compiled and averaged out from three species within the Peltogyne genus: Peltogyne paniculata, P. porphyrocardia, and P. venosa. Even taking the average of these numbers, Purpleheart ranks among the very stiffest and strongest woods in the world.

Some common uses for Purpleheart include: boat-building, flooring, furniture, heavy construction, and a variety of specialty wood items.

Related Species:

None available.

Scans/Pictures: You can see from the scans below that the wood starts a dull purple, and becomes more rich and full within a few days/weeks. Upon applying a finish, the color darkens even more, to an almost eggplant purple.