Scientific Name
Bulnesia arborea
Trade Name
Verawood
Family Name
Zygophyllaceae
Synonyms
Guaiacum arboreum
Common Names
Bera, Bera cuchivaro, Berra, Congo cypress, Cuchivaro, Guayac de caracas, Guayacan, Guayacan de bola, Guayacan polvillo, Guayacan resino, Maracaibo, Maracaibo lignum vitae, Maracaibo lignum-vitae, Palo sano, Venesia, Vera, Vera aceituna, Vera amarilla, Vera azul, Vera blanca, Vera pocktree, Veraholz, Verawood
Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, Venezuela
Common Uses
Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Brush backs & handles, Crossties, Heavy construction, Light construction, Machinery parts, Poles, Pulley wheels, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Turnery
Environmental Profile
| Status has not been officially assessed |
Distribution Overview
Coastal region of Colombia and Venezuela, common on the dry foothills between Porto Cabello and Lake Maracaibo.
Heartwood Color
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Purple | ||||||||||||
| Greenish to greyish | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange | ||||||||||||
| Light olive green | ||||||||||||
| Golden brown with a reddish cast | ||||||||||||
| Dark green upon exposure | ||||||||||||
| Dark brown |
The heartwood varies in color from light olive green to chocolate brown, with the surface of the wood often turning dark green on exposure
Sapwood Color
| Pink | ||||||||||||
| White to yellow | ||||||||||||
| Paler than heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Pale yellow |
Grain
| Figure | ||||||||||||
| Crossed | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked | ||||||||||||
| Other (figure) | ||||||||||||
| Stripe (figure) |
| Striped figure | ||||||||||||
| Other figure | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked | ||||||||||||
| Crossed |
Texture
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Coarse | ||||||||||||
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Very fine |
The wood is resinous, and has an oily appearance and feel.
Luster
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Low |
Natural Durability
| Very durable | ||||||||||||
| Durable | ||||||||||||
| Moderately durable | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to termites | ||||||||||||
| Very durable | ||||||||||||
| Untreated wood in contact with ground is very resistant to decay |
It is reported to outlast most treated timbers when used as piling and fence posts.
Odor
| Has an odor | ||||||||||||
| Mild odor when warmed |
Kiln Schedules
| Dry at a slow speed |
Drying Defects
| Splitting | ||||||||||||
| Checking | ||||||||||||
| Moderate end spitting | ||||||||||||
| Shakes | ||||||||||||
| Expect splits |
Ease of Drying
| Dries slowly with careful attention needed |
It requires careful attention because of its high density and resinous nature
Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is straight | ||||||||||||
| Bole/stem form is cylindrical |
Tree Size
| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is less than 10 m |
It occasionally attains heights of 100 feet (30 m), but it is typically 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 m),
Product Sources
Verawood occurs in small numbers and is becoming even rarer, which makes it very expensive. The species also grows very slowly, and requires centuries to mature.
Comments
Generally very strong , very heavy, highly rigid, high resistance, self-lubricating
Blunting Effect
| Blunting effect on sawing is severe | ||||||||||||
| Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe |
The wood is very high in density and may have severe blunting effect on cutting tools
Boring
| Fair to good results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly easy to very easy |
Carving
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Cutting Resistance
| Difficult to saw |
Very high density and cross-grain combine to make seasoned wood very difficult to process.
Gluing
| Impossible to glue |
Resists all types of adhesives
Mortising
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Moulding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Planing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Ease of planing is moderate | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to plane |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Heartwood is extremely resistant |
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to machine |
Routing & Recessing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Turning
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Easy to turn | ||||||||||||
| Very good | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Wood should be well seasoned before turning since it may twist and check after the work is completed.
Veneering Qualities
| Suitable for slicing | ||||||||||||
| Suitable for peeling |
Polishing
| Satisfactory results |
Staining
| Difficult to stain. |
Strength Properties
| Density (dry weight) = > 75 lbs/cu.ft. | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Density = high | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu.ft. |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Density | 71 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Specific Gravity | 0.92 | ||
| Weight | 62 | 56 | lbs/ft3 |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Density | 1137 | kg/m3 | |
| Specific Gravity | 0.92 |
References
Arno, J. 1992. Bulnesia arborea – Verawood. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 72-73.
Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series
Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France.
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.
Cronquist, A.,1957,Las Zygophyllaceas Venezolanas,Bull. Jard. Bot. Bruxelles,27(3,pp381-9
Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.
Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press
Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press
Record, S.J.,1921,A Study of the Woods of the Zygophyllaceae with reference to the True,Lignum vitae of Commerce – its sources, properties, uses and substitutes,Yale University School of Forestry Bulletin,No.6
Timber Development Association,1943,Timber Leaflet no. 86 Lignum Vitae,TRADA Timber leaflet
Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA]
WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing – Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom