Monkeypod (Saman / Rain Tree)
Samanea saman · Exotic/Tropical
- Type
- Exotic/Tropical
- Origin
- Native to Central and South America; extensively naturalized across Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.
- Hardness
- 900 lbf (Medium)
- Durability
- Durable to Moderately Durable; good natural resistance to rot, fungal decay, and dry-wood termites.
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Grain Pattern
Straight to slightly wavy and interlocked grain with subtle curl figure near the sapwood junction and medium-to-coarse diffuse-porous open texture.
Color & Appearance
Heartwood ranges from light golden-brown to dark chocolate brown with distinct darker streaks; sapwood is pale yellow-white to cream, showing a sharp, well-defined line of demarcation between heartwood and sapwood.
Hardness (Janka)
900 lbf (Medium)
Durability & Decay Resistance
Durable to Moderately Durable; good natural resistance to rot, fungal decay, and dry-wood termites.
Value & Sustainability
- Estimated Market Value
- $12.00 to $20.00 per board foot for live-edge slab stock
- Wood Age Estimate
- Freshly milled or recently surfaced rough lumber (under 5 years old), harvested from a mature tree given the large slab width and sapwood curve.
- Sustainability Status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List); not listed in CITES appendices. Abundant and widely planted for shade and agroforestry worldwide.
Common Uses
Live-edge slab tables, furniture, decorative bowls and turnings, carving, cabinetry, and acoustic guitars.
Geographic Origin
Native to Central and South America; extensively naturalized across Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.
Workability
Generally easy to work with both hand and power tools. Interlocked grain may cause light tearout during planing or jointing, but it glues, sands, and turns exceptionally well.
Finish Recommendations
Takes film finishes and oil finishes exceptionally well; penetrating oils (like Danish oil or Tung oil) or clear hardwax oils showcase the rich heartwood tones and chatoyance best without darkening the pale sapwood excessively.
Notable Features
Distinctive high-contrast sapwood-to-heartwood transition, lightweight for a tropical hardwood, pleasant sweet scent when freshly worked, and high stability once kiln-dried.
