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Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a dark brown, sometimes with a reddish hue. Pale yellow sapwood is clearly demarcated from heartwood.
Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to irregular or interlocked. Uniform medium to coarse texture, with moderate natural luster.
Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; medium pores, few; solitary and radial multiples; reddish brown heartwood deposits abundant; parenchyma vasicentric, lozenge, winged, confluent, and banded; narrow rays, normal spacing.
Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable, though susceptible to insect attack.
Workability: Generally difficult to work on account of its high density and irregular grain. Brown Ebony is well suited to lathe work, and turns and finishes well.
Odor: No characteristic odor.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Brown Ebony has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicityand Wood Dust Safetyfor more information.
Pricing/Availability: Occasionally available for sale in the form of small blanks and turning squares. Prices are in the medium range for an imported lumber, and much lower than true ebonies.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List. It is listed as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range, and exploitation.
Common Uses: Primarily for turned objects; also used for heavy construction within its natural range.
Comments: Being that the term “ebony” is synonymous with black, the term “Brown Ebony” may be somewhat of a oxymoron. Brown Ebony is not in the Diospyros genus, and isn’t considered a true ebony. Botanically, the wood is actually more closely related to Brazilwood—well known for its use in violin bows.
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