Monkeypod (Saman / Rain Tree)
Samanea saman · Exotic/Tropical Hardwood
- Type
- Exotic/Tropical Hardwood
- Origin
- Native to Central and South America; extensively naturalized in Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.
- Hardness
- 900 lbf (Medium Hardness)
- Durability
- Durable to Very Durable regarding rot and decay resistance; moderately resistant to insect attack.
Got a wood sample like this?
Identify any wood from a photo, free.
Grain Pattern
Slightly interlocked to straight grain with pronounced curly/wavy figure visible across the face grain; live-edge board showing sharp demarcation at sapwood transition.
Color & Appearance
Heartwood ranges from golden-brown to dark chocolate brown with reddish streaks; sapwood is pale creamy yellow to off-white. Moderately lustrous with strong chatoyance.
Hardness (Janka)
900 lbf (Medium Hardness)
Durability & Decay Resistance
Durable to Very Durable regarding rot and decay resistance; moderately resistant to insect attack.
Value & Sustainability
- Estimated Market Value
- $12.00 - $22.00 per board foot (higher for wide live-edge highly figured slabs).
- Wood Age Estimate
- Recently harvested or milled raw slab (under 5 years old), showing fresh pencil layout lines, raw mill surfaces, and minimal surface oxidation.
- Sustainability Status
- Not listed on CITES Appendices or IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; widely available and sustainable due to fast growth and suburban harvesting.
Common Uses
Live-edge slabs, dining tables, countertops, furniture, carved bowls, guitar backs and sides, decorative veneers.
Geographic Origin
Native to Central and South America; extensively naturalized in Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.
Workability
Generally easy to work with hand and machine tools, though interlocked or wavy grain can cause tearout during planing. Glues, sands, and finishes exceptionally well.
Finish Recommendations
Penetrating oil or hardwax oil finishes (e.g., Rubio Monocoat, Tung oil) enhance the natural chatoyance and grain figure. Clear polyurethane or conversion varnish provides durable protection for tabletop surfaces.
Notable Features
Distinctive high contrast between sapwood and heartwood; prominent chatoyance and wavy figure; pleasant faint sweet odor when worked.
