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Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a cream to light reddish brown color. Narrow sapwood is a pale yellowish white.
Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, though knots or bark inclusions may cause grain irregularities. Medium to coarse texture with a moderate natural luster.
Endgrain: Resin canals absent (though sometimes present due to injury); earlywood to latewood transition gradual, color contrast high; tracheid diameter small.
Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable, and generally resistant to insect attack.
Workability: Easy to work with hand and machine tools, though knots and bark inclusions can cause difficulties in machining. Turns, glues, and finishes well.
Odor: Has a long-lasting, sweet scent that’s sometimes used in making perfume.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Cedar of Lebanon has been reported to cause skin and respiratory irritation, as well as runny nose and asthma-like symptoms. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicityand Wood Dust Safetyfor more information.
Pricing/Availability: Not commonly seen for sale, Cedar of Lebanon is generally only available in smaller blocks and turning blanks, and occasionally as veneer. Prices are moderate for an imported lumber.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List. It is listed as vulnerable primarily due to a total area of occupancy of less than 770 square miles (2,000 square kilometers), and a severely fragmented population.
Common Uses: Veneer, cabinetry, building construction, and turned objects.
Comments: The country of Lebanon prominently features the tree on its national flag, and the species is named for the once-extensive forest that grew across Mount Lebanon.
Used by ancient civilizations for millennia, it’s also referenced in the Bible as the source of timber for Solomon’s temple.
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