Jatoba Wood

The Jatoba Tree (Latin: Hymenaea courbaril), sometimes confusingly referred to as the Brazilian Cherry Tree – confusing because it actually has nothing whatever to do with cherries or cherry trees!  This hardwood species may also be called a Brazilian Copal; South Amercan Locust; West Indian Locust Tree and even charmingly the Stinktoe Tree or Old Man’s Toe (the edible pulp carries an unpleasant odor!).   Jatoba Wood grows in South America, Mexico, Brazil and Peru.

The tree presents its leaves neatly in matched pairs, hence its Latin name derived from the word for ‘marriage’.

Jatoba Wood, when alive and growing, secretes a sticky, resinous gum that, if it is petrified over millions of years, becomes Amber – a treasured form of jewelry.  Insects or plants are sometimes trapped in the sticky resin behind its transparent and luminous coating.  The Amber makes stunning jewelry, especially when set in silver and gold.  Don’t worry, the Jatoba wood that I use in my cutting boards is kiln dried so there is no evidence of Amber.

Jatoba Wood is the source for Amber

An interesting fact about  Jatoba’s  fruit is that it is rich in nutrients and its resin, especially in its seeds,  are used extensively in the manufacturing of natural herbal remedies to treat respiratory problems.  Most of them remain untested by the FDA.

The bark has a spicy flavor and is used to make a popular energy drink.  Health stores in the US offer Jatoba based products and supplements as capsules claimed to promote liver function and aid digestion.

One of the World’s hardest woods, Jatoba measures 5.6 on the Brinell scale (used in materials science).  The Brinell scale measures the hardness of materials through the scale of penetration of an indenter loaded on a material test-piece.   Incredibly robust, the timber is a salmon or tan color with stripes that can develop a ripe red lustre over time.

Jatoba floors are wonderfully long lasting and age attractively.  The wood is so hard it is resistant even to those destructive, spiky heels on ladies’ shoes!  The coloring of this exotic hardwood is lustrous with deep reds and burgundies with an exotic appeal.  Jatoba carvings are everywhere in South America, especially Mexico where the wood is prized for its versatility and longevity.

One of the most common uses for Jatoba is in the manufacturing of staircases, probably due to its strength.  It is, in fact, notorious for blunting tools!  In appearance it is similar to teak and is also extremely heavy like teak, but is not particularly porous.  The wood tends to exhibit multiple personalities from one board to another and so is ideal for making items that require a striping effect, ranging in color from a light tan to a bright orange to almost black.  The sapwood is lighter – white or a pale pink, occasionally gray and does not age to a darker color.

Jatoba is used to create artistic products such as jewelry boxes, trinket boxes and humidors and is ideal for kitchen products, such as cutting boards, that require resilience as well as beauty.  Bricked Jatoba is often used for other kitchenware such as servers and salad bowls.

Image credits:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatob%C3%A1
http://sporadesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/jatoba-tree-fruit-and-seed.html
http://www.broadrivergems.com/page3.htm
http://www.rixwoodwurx.com/index.asp?ItemID=55&mid=67&incid=31

Jatoba Wood – a Most Interesting Exotic!

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