Okoume

Habitat

Afrormosia is a rare tree species found in West and Central Africa, including the countries of Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and the Congo states. The tree grows primarily in groups.

Tree description

Afrormosia is a large tree reaching heights of 30-50 m (98-164 ft). The straight and cylindrical trunk is 60-160 cm (2-5 ft) in diameter, and is clear of branches for up to 30 m (98 ft). The scale-like bark is fibrous with strong red marks.

Wood description

The sapwood, about 3 cm (1.2 in) thick, is a lightly-colored mixture of white, green, and yellow. The core wood is greenish-brown with a silky luster and often displays greenish-red stripes. Pores may be filled with tannin, which can form calcium marks.

Property and application

Okoume is a lighter wood, not dissimilar from pine and beech. It has a medium level of firmness, can be dried well, and is resistant to insects but not weather. The wood can be easily processed; however sawing should be done with hard metal alloy blades to compensate for the presence of crystalline deposits. Okoume makes an ideal veneer wood and is also used in the furniture and plywood industries, and for the production of paper pulp and cigar boxes. With appropriate chemical treatments, the timer can also be used as temporary engineering support wood for water-based construction projects.

How to use it