Honey Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa • Hardwood
Grain Pattern
Typically irregular, wavy, or interlocked. It often features small knots, cracks, and burl-like Swirls in the face grain, with a coarse texture and high natural luster.
Color Description
Heartwood is a rich reddish-brown that darkens to a deep chocolate brown with age. Sapwood is narrow and pale yellow or cream colored, providing a high contrast.
Hardness Rating
2,330 lbf (Very Hard to Extremely Hard)
Durability Rating
Very Durable; highly resistant to rot and insect attack, and extremely stable with very low shrinkage rates.
Common Uses
High-end furniture, flooring, cabinetry, tool handles, wood turning (bowls), and famously used for charcoal and smoking meats.
Geographic Origin
Native to the Southwestern United States (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico) and Northern Mexico.
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
$15.00 - $25.00 per board foot for high-grade lumber; often sold as logs or chunks for smaller amounts.
Wood Age Estimate
Freshly felled to several months old; the bark is intact and relatively weathered, but the end grain shows relatively recent chainsaw cuts with minimal checking.
Sustainability Status
Not listed in CITES or on the IUCN Red List; generally considered an invasive or nuisance species in many cattle-grazing regions, making it highly sustainable.
Workability
Difficult due to high density and interlocked grain which can cause tearout. It has a high dulling effect on cutters but glues, turns, and finishes exceptionally well.
Notable Features
Distinctive sweet, smoky scent when cut or burned. Extremely dimensional stability (one of the few woods that can be worked while green with minimal movement).
Finish Recommendations
Responds excellently to clear oils (tung or linseed), polyurethane, or wax. No staining is required due to the wood's intense natural color.
Identification Confidence
High; the distinctive shaggy, furrowed grayish-brown bark combined with the reddish heartwood and narrow yellow sapwood is characteristic of Mesquite logs.