Blue Mahoe
Blue Mahoe wood (Hibiscus elatus) is a hardwood weighing about 720 kg/m3.
Blue mahoe (Hibiscus elatus, also listed as Talipariti elatum) is a tree of the mallow family, Malvaceae, and the national tree of Jamaica. Kew's Plants of the World Online gives its native range as Cuba and Jamaica; The Wood Database notes it has been widely planted in the Caribbean. The Wood Database describes the heartwood as usually greyish or olive brown, sometimes with streaks of green, blue or purple, and gives an average dried weight of 755 kg/m3. It is used for cabinetry, furniture, turned objects, carving, musical instruments, inlay and interior trim.
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Material Type:
Hardwood
Also Called:
Mountain Mahoe, Majagua
Durability Notes:
The Wood Database reports decay-resistance ratings from moderately durable to very durable, and resistance to insect attack. Tropical Timbers of the World (Chudnoff, USDA Forest Service, 1984) reports the heartwood as highly resistant to decay fungi.
Properties:
Average dried weight 755 kg/m3 (12% moisture content); Janka hardness 1,420 lbf (6,320 N). Shrinkage is 2.1% radial, 4.9% tangential and 7.1% volumetric. The grain is usually straight or shallowly interlocked, with a fine to medium texture. It is easy to work with hand and machine tools, and turns, glues and finishes well. (Source: The Wood Database.)
Typical Uses:
Cabinetry, furniture, turned objects, carvings, musical instruments, inlay, marquetry, interior trim
More Info:
Blue mahoe is prized in Jamaica as a furniture wood, but it is now in very low supply and usually only seen in small sizes. (Source: The Wood Database.)
Possible Health Risks:
Blue mahoe has been reported to cause sneezing. (Source: The Wood Database.)
Sustainability:
Not listed in the CITES Appendices (The Wood Database). The IUCN Red List assesses Hibiscus elatus as Least Concern (category read via GBIF). Past over-exploitation has made the timber very scarce, and it is seldom exported from its natural range (The Wood Database).
Interesting Facts:
The Wood Database describes blue mahoe as perhaps the only commercially available wood that can show a bluish hue. The bark of young trees has been used for cordage (Tropical Timbers of the World (Chudnoff, USDA Forest Service, 1984)).
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WooduWeigh is a real time calculator that uses a wood density algorithm that allows you to calculate the weight of any quantity of Blue Mahoe timber. Visit Wooduweigh
If you would like to buy Blue Mahoe or have Blue Mahoe ready to sell then please visit the wood trading section powered by Woodutrade, where you can make timber contacts worldwide. Visit Woodutrade
