Purple Heart is distributed through Central America and tropical South America, from Mexico to southern Brazil. They are reported to be most common in the tropical rainforest area of the Amazon basin, and are found in Columbia, Guyana, Surinam, and Venezuela. The trees grow to 30 to 45 metres height and up to 4 metres stem diameter.
General Characteristics
The timber is hard and does not mar or dent easily and bending and crushing strength is very high. The wood is moderately difficult to work in most machining operations and require specially tipped cutters and tools for working.
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Colour / Pattern
The heartwood is initially dull brown, but it rapidly changes to a bright, vibrant purple. Prolonged exposure darkens the wood to a dark-purplish brown. Presence of mineralization in the wood causes uneven colouration. The sapwood is creamy white or off-white in colour and has been described as pinkish cinnamon with light brown streaks about 2 to 4 inches wide.
Uses
Prized for inlay work, cabinetry, and high end furniture.
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