Tempisque

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a medium to dark reddish brown. Color tends to darken with age. Pale yellow sapwood is clearly differentiated from the heartwood, though not always sharply demarcated.

Grain/Texture: Grain straight to interlocked or wavy. Fine uniform texture with low natural luster.

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; radial multiples of 2-5 common; medium to large pores, few; tyloses and mineral deposits common; parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates, reticulate; narrow rays, spacing fairly close.

Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable, with good resistance to most insect attack. Susceptible to marine borers.

Workability: Despite its high density, Bulletwood generally produces good results with both hand and machine tools, though it does exhibit an above-average dulling effect on cutters. Responds well to steam-bending. Can pose challenges in gluing due to high density and oil content.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Bulletwood has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Infrequently imported, Bulletwood is sometimes available as decking or flooring planks. Expect prices to be in the mid to upper range for an imported hardwood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Common Uses: Heavy construction (within its natural range), decking, flooring, boatbuilding, bent parts, and turned objects.

Comments: Bulletwood is an incredibly strong, dense wood which has good durability in exterior applications.