Color/Appearance: Heartwood ranges from medium brown to darker reddish brown, sometimes with streaks. Contrasting sapwood is a pale yellow color.
Grain/Texture: Grain is usually interlocked and/or roey. Medium texture and good natural luster.
Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable, with good insect resistance.
Workability: In contrast to the other closely related genera (Bowdichia and Diplotropis), chichipate is reported to be easier to work, despite its high density and interlocked grain.
Odor: No characteristic odor.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, chichipate has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Pricing/Availability: Infrequently imported as flooring planks or surfaced lumber. Expect prices to be moderate for an imported hardwood.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.
Common Uses: Flooring, furniture, turned objects, and veneer, as well as heavy exterior construction applications not requiring much machining, such as railroad ties, bridges, and beams.
Comments: In addition to the previous botanical names (previously classified in the Sweetia and Acosmium genera), this wood is known by a myriad of different regional common names, including bilihuete, chichipate, coyote, guayacan, huesillo, huesito, palo de vaca, Billy Webb, visapolollo, carboncillo, guayacan corriente, malvecino, rejo, vera de agua, balsamo amarillo, cencerro, chakte, corteza de Honduras, quina silvestre, and yacti.
Another very closely related wood that sometimes also bears the name sucupira is tatabu (Diplotropis purpurea). Despite being from two different genera, the two woods are very similar and are sometimes represented interchangeably (e.g., CIRAD’s Tropix project).