Candlenut

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is light brown, with no clear distinction between sapwood and heartwood. Gray or bluish staining is also common.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight, with a uniform, coarse texture.

Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable; poor insect resistance.

Workability: Generally easy to work, though as is the case with very soft woods, care must be taken not to dent or damage it during handling. Also, blue fungal staining can occur if not dried properly.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, the sap of candlenut has been reported to cause skin irritation, though it is unclear if the same reaction occurs in the dried wood. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Generally, the wood is too soft and weak to be used for structural applications, and the tree is considered to be more valuable for its nuts than for its lumber. 

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Common Uses: Plywood, utility lumber, interior woodwork, paneling, and kitchen utensils. 

Comments: So named for the oil  taken from the tree’s nuts, which was used in lamps. Candlenut is known much more for its edible nuts than its wood, and the tree has been cultivated in numerous tropical regions worldwide. Candlenut goes by almost as many names as there are regions where it is grown.