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Purpleheart
Peltogyne
spp.
Amaranth
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Family:
Leguminosae
Other Common Names:
Palo morado (Mexico), Morado (Panama, Venezuela), Tananeo (Colombia), Koroboreli (Guyana), Purperhart (Surinam), Amarante (French Guiana), Pau roxo, Guarabu’ (Brazil), Violetwood (English trade).
Distribution: Center of distribution in the north-middle part of the Brazilian Amazon region; combined range of all species
from Mexico through Central America and southward to southern Brazil.
The Tree Trees grow to heights of 170 ft with diameters to 4 ft, but usually 1.5 to 3 ft; boles are straight,
cylindrical, and clear 60 to 90 ft above buttresses up to 12 ft high.
The Wood General Characteristics: Heartwood brown when freshly cut becoming deep purple upon exposure,
eventually turning to a dark brown sharply demarcated from the off-white sapwood. Texture medium to fine; luster medium to
high, variable; grain usually straight, sometimes wavy, roey, or irregular; without distinctive odor or taste.
Weight: Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume)
varies with species from 0.67 to 0.91; air-dry density 50 to 66 pcf.
Mechanical
Properties: (First set of data based on the 2 –in. standard; second on the 2-cm
standard; third on the 1-in standard.)
|
Moisture content |
Bending strength |
Modulus of elasticity |
Maximum crushing
strength |
|
|
Psi |
1,000 Psi |
Psi |
|
Green (75) |
13,690 |
2,000 |
7,020 |
|
12% |
19,220 |
2,270 |
10,320 |
|
Green (30) |
21,000 |
2,560 |
9,250 |
|
15% |
26,700 |
-- |
12,200 |
|
12% (24) |
30,900 |
3,460 |
14,500 |
Janka side hardness ranges from 1,860 lb. to 3,920 lb. at 12%
moisture content Forest Products Laboratory toughness at 12% moisture content ranges from 157 to 398 in-lb. (5/8-in. specimen).
Drying and Shrinkage:
Reports vary, from air-dries easily to moderately difficult; dries slowly to fairly rapidly; with almost no degrade to some
warping and splitting. Kiln schedule T6-D2 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T3-D1 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to oven-dry: radial
3.2%; tangential 6.1%; volumetric 9.9%. Stability after manufacture or movement is rated as small.
Working Properties:
Moderately difficult to work with either hand or machine tool, dulls cutters, exudes a gummy resin when heated by dull tools;
slow feed rates and specially hardened cutter are suggested. Turns smoothly, easy to glue, and takes finishes well.
Durability: Heartwood
is rated highly durable in resistance to attack by decay fungi; very resistant to dry-wood termites; but little resistance
to marine borers.
Preservation: Heartwood
is reported to be extremely resistant to impregnation with preservative oils; sapwood is permeable
Uses: Turnery, marquetry,
cabinets, fine furniture, parquet flooring, tool handles, heavy construction, shipbuilding, many specialty items (billiard
cue butts, chemical vats, carving).
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