Hawaiian Koa — Acacia koa (Hawaiʻi Island)

Hawaiian Koa is Hawaiʻi’s largest endemic tree species and is often referred to as the “king of the forest.” The word “koa” translates to “warrior” in Hawaiian, reflecting both its strength and its historic importance. Traditionally, the use of Koa was reserved for Hawaiian royalty (aliʻi), most notably for carving ocean-going canoes used for interisland travel. Koa is the fastest-growing of Hawaiʻi’s precious hardwoods, capable of growing up to one inch (25 mm) in diameter per year, reaching heights of 100 feet (30 m) with trunks exceeding 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter. The wood ranges in color from golden brown to deep red-brown, often with dramatic curl and figure. Koa has a specific gravity of approximately 0.55, with strength and weight similar to black walnut, and today is highly prized for fine furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments (ukulele and guitars), carving, and crafts, where its stability and rich, reflective finish are especially valued.

ʻŌhiʻa (ʻŌhiʻa lehua) — Metrosideros polymorpha (Hawaiʻi Island) - ʻŌhiʻa is often the first major tree to grow from new lava flows on Hawaiʻi Island. It is extremely slow-growing, commonly taking hundreds of years to reach just 24 inches (60 cm) in diameter, which contributes to its exceptional density and durability. Historically, ʻŌhiʻa was used in traditional Hawaiian hale as structural poles for temples, canoe houses, and homes due to its strength and natural weather resistance. Examples of ʻŌhiʻa hale over 100 years old can still be found near the ocean, including along Aliʻi Drive in Kailua-Kona. ʻŌhiʻa has a specific gravity of approximately 0.74, and today is used for structural woodworking, carving, and heavy-use applications, while also being highly prized as firewood and for smoking meat and fish because it burns hot, clean, and evenly.

Mango trees are known for their fruit, but they are also a source of beautiful and valuable wood.
Mango is a large tree that can reach 65 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter.
In Hawaii, this wood has been used to make carved and turned bowls and furniture.
It is a relatively soft hardwood, with a specific gravity of 0.57, which is somewhat heavy. The color is shiny blonde,
Spot-like color changes are often seen during drying. Some trees have dark brown heartwood. The grain is wavy, and some have a curly or fiddleback shape.
It has a moderate hardness and is easy to work with, so it is often used to make furniture as well as musical instruments.

Although Kamani is a Hawaiian name, it is not native to Hawaii and was introduced by Polynesian settlers. It is spread over sandy beaches and other low-lying areas with plenty of sunlight.
It is strong, durable, and has a medium hardness, and is often used in Hawaiian tableware.It is characterized by its unique flowing heathered grain and the exotic colors typical of South Sea wood.It is relatively difficult to process due to its straight grain. , very delicate cabinets have been made.
Iolani Place's main floor doors feature Kamani veneer panels.

Also known as West Indies mahogany or Cuban mahogany, it was the first species of mahogany to be discovered.
It was introduced to Hawaii in the early 1900s and is widely planted in both public and private forests.
It has been used in various places as a heavy roadside tree.
Grows up to 60 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter, with heartwood that is reddish or pinkish when cut.
It is yellowish and gradually turns dark reddish brown, moderately hard, heavy (specific gravity 0.7-0.8) and strong. The roots and stumps of large trees are prized for their strong appearance.

Silk oak was introduced for shade, ornamental use, and forest regeneration.
It can reach a height of 70 feet and a diameter of 3 feet.
In its native Australia, it was traditionally called ``lacewood.''
It is now a rare wood.
It has a medium density (specific gravity 0.57), the heartwood is initially pale pinkish brown, and the straight grain has strong pith rays, resembling the characteristics of oak.
Flat sawn wood has a less dramatic but attractive "fish scale" shape.
This wood grain will eventually turn a shiny golden color and will be well finished.

Cedar is also called Japanese cedar pine,
It is an aromatic coniferous tree native to Japan.
The sapwood is white or yellow and the heartwood is reddish-brown. The specific gravity is light at 0.41.
It has strength properties similar to Western Red Cedar, making it suitable for lining scented drawers.
One of the most important traditional Japanese woods, it was planted by the Hawaii State Forest Service between 1910 and 1960.
The use of cedar for decorative items is expanding.

Milo, Thespesia populnea is a lowland tree growing near the coast. It is medium-sized that grows to 30 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 8 inches to 30 inches. Slow-growing, tasteless, and insect-resistant, this wood has historically been used by Native Hawaiians to build food containers and boats.
The light brown sapwood is clearly separated from the reddish-brown or chocolate-colored heartwood.
The wood is moderately stable (specific gravity 0.6), easy to work with, and can be highly polished. It is no longer commercially planted in large quantities due to the high value of waterfront real estate.

Thun was introduced in 1918 for plantation use.
Grows 50 feet tall and over 2 feet in diameter.
The wood is very light (specific gravity 0.35), reddish-brown in color, and has a strong aromatic cedar smell, which is why it is also called "Australian Red Cedar".
We are particularly good at engraving and lathe processing.

Other name: Eucalyptus robusta
Robusta was introduced to Hawaii
It is the most commonly planted of the over 100 species of eucalyptus.
It is a medium-sized tree, about 50 to 160 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter.
Young trees are bright red, while older trees are a deep, dark mahogany color.
Mature wood is very hard and generally very heavy (specific gravity 0.8). Most strength properties are comparable to white oak.
Robusta is used for high-end furniture.
Extremely durable, it is usually finished with a deep reflective shine that develops over time to a rich mahogany color.
The highest quality straight-grained timbers feature a dramatic pattern called "block mottle," which resembles a checkerboard pattern of parallelograms.

Other name: Casuarina It was originally a common tree planted as a windbreak and in poor soils and sandy areas where trees that were resistant to salt damage were needed.
Trees are 80 to 100 feet tall;
The diameter reaches 18 inches.
The wood is dark brown in color, very strong and dense (specific gravity varies from approximately 0.58 to 0.81, depending on the exact species).
The radiating surface has linear spots resembling oak.
Although difficult to season and process, it is used in extremely durable furniture.

Other name: Cassia Siamea
A beautiful brown and white tree with a feather-like grain, it is prized as Hawaii's rarest and most valuable wood.
This tree was introduced from Southeast Asia and is planted as a flowering street tree.
Grows to about 60 feet tall and 2 feet in diameter.
It is a relatively heavy (specific gravity 0.75) and hard wood.
This wood is not often found in tree plantations, but can be found by arborists when doing landscaping and street tree care.
It is used to decorate and trim decorative items and furniture products.

It is called “white mahogany” because it looks beautiful and resembles mahogany.
It is also called.
Primavera is a flowering tree that grows up to 60 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter.
The wood is similar to satin wood, pale yellow in color, fairly strong, and lightweight (specific gravity 0.45).
The wood grain may also be wavy. Initially introduced as a roadside tree, it is difficult to obtain in limited quantities from forest reserves.
Where available, it is used in furniture and flooring.

Other name: Fraxinus uday tropical ash was introduced as a shade tree in 1880.
It has been planted in Hawaii since the 1920s to cover forests and watersheds. Grows to about 80 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter.
The wood is white, similar to whitewashed wood, but moderately hard and lightweight (specific gravity 0.47).
It is especially used in furniture because of its bright colors and fine grain.
It is expected that more wood will be available from state plantations in the future.

Also known as: Norfolk Island Pine, which grows up to 3 feet in diameter.
It has a light specific gravity of 0.44, has knotty characteristics like Douglas fir from the Rocky Mountains, and is strong.
This tree is widely available in Hawaii.
The wood has a distinctive pine color, and the greatest modern use of this relative is in traditional Hawaiian wood products.
You can create wood products with a vivid transparency that is difficult to reproduce with other woods.

Also known as: Eucalyptus globolus This plant is an invasive tree species that grows up to about 250 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter.
This tree has played an important role in the reforestation of pastures since the turn of the century, and its wood is extremely hard (specific gravity 0.8) and changes dramatically depending on the season.
It is light to medium brown in color, with occasional gray patches, and is easy to prune to create logs without branches or knots.
In the hands of skilled craftsmen, blue gum can make extremely durable furniture.

Also known as: Eucalyptus Citriodora This tree grows well in low altitude areas in Hawaii.
Grows 80 to 160 feet tall and up to 4 feet in diameter, light brown to grayish brown in color, and the boards cut from the lowest logs may have deep black veins.
The wood grain is straight-grained and wavy, and the specific gravity is 0.85, making it very hard and dense.
In Hawaii, it is used in heavy and demanding applications such as residential flooring, tool handles, trailer decks, and boat frames, and in recent years, it has been used in furniture where its strong grain stands out.

Other name: Eucalyptus sariguna
It is a 200-foot tall tree with a trunk that can reach up to 4 feet in diameter.
It has been widely used for tree planting in Hawaii since 1880.
The specific gravity is 0.61, and mature trees over 50 years old are close to 0.75, and the color ranges from light brown to pink, and tends to turn black when finished.
The wood is fine-grained and resembles cherry in many uses.
The wood grain ranges from straight to deeply intricate, with straight-grained surfaces showing distinct ribbon-like patterns.

Also known as: Eucalyptus deglupta It has a beautifully colored striped bark and grows up to 150 feet and 3 feet in diameter in Hawaii. Relatively light (specific gravity 0.45) and stable,
It is a wood that is easy to process.
It used to be used for cabinets, but in recent years it has been used for furniture and sculptures.
One of the fastest growing trees in the world, plantations of various ages can be found in Hawaii's forest preserves.
The wood color ranges from pale brown to pinkish brown, often with pronounced veining, giving the furniture a lively feel.