Picana Negra (Cordia alliadora)

Characteristics Light Heavy Weight: Soft Hard Hardness: Fine Coarse Texture: Easy Difficult Working: Easy Difficult Finishing: Chart Help

Picana Negra Characteristics

Picana Negra features a very attractive pattern that's especially highlighted with the dark striping on the light tan/brown. The wood is hard and heavy, but offers surprisingly little blunting on blades and bits, while machining to a smooth surface with ease. The wood also accepts regular wood glue, and takes a clear, smooth finish without trouble.

Color Range

Light tan to brown with dark, almost black, stripes

Other Names

Ajo, Arbol del ajo, Bohun, Bois de Rhodes, Bois soumis, Bojon, Brown silverballi, Canalete, Canalete de humo, Capa, Capa de olor, Capa de sabana, Capa Prieto, Chene caparo, Cyp, Cypre, Cypress, Guacimil, Light American cordia, Laurel, Black Laurel

Some Typical Uses

Boxes, moldings, furniture parts, tool handles, decorative woodwork, jewelry, inlay and accents, turnery, flooring

What's the Tree Like?

The trees are reported to be often 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 m) in height with trunk diameters of 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm). They usually develop narrow buttresses and are capable of reaching heights of 120 feet (37 m) and diameters of about 36 inches

Picana Negra grows in

Latin America from Belize, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago