Trade name: Bubinga Country of origin: Africa Occurrence: West Africa, from eastern Nigeria through Gabon to Zaire, drier sites in tropical lower rainforests. Trees ranging in size to 45 m with auCommercial names: Padouk, African Coralwood. Country of origin: Africa Occurrence: West Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Zaire, Angola, tropical lower rainforests. To be distinguished from Burma Padouk, the Asian Padouk (related species), which is however rarer. Uses: Interior finishing, decorative & resistant flooring, construction lumber, billiard tables. Character: One of the most interesting precious woods in the world is the African Padouk, which has a bright coral red color when fresh. A special attraction comes from the deep „pores“ that characteristically structure this wood. As it dries, this coloration varies to a velvety purple to orange-reddish brown. The mostly existing alternating rotary growth leads to beautiful glossy stripes and thus underlines the noble character of this wood. A sometimes occurring irregular and dark color striping enlivens the veneer appearance. The stripes are about 5 mm wide and often not sharply defined.Important is a surface treatment with light protection pigments to prevent fading of the beautiful color. The wood is hard and dense and elastic. It splits easily and is resistant to pressure and bending. Special features: The wood of trees of different species of tropical areas in Africa, Southeast Asia and America, as well as from South Africa, is traded under this name. It is divided into two different color groups. One with red heartwood and the other with brown ground color.s marked, high root growths. A distinction is made between plain, striped and variegated bubinga wood, the variegated being considered the most valuable at present. Uses: High-quality interior finishing and mass-produced furniture, paneling, parquet flooring. Well suited also for musical instruments. Character: Bubinga has a strikingly beautiful texture, which results either from slightly wavy stripes – caused by alternating growth and narrow color zones – or from light to very lively veining. This expressive African wood species, with a wide spectrum of colors ranging from pink to brown-red to veined purple, exudes something mundane and is therefore also popular for the design of luxury items, inlays or vehicle interiors. Special features: Bubinga as the wood of several species is called, is also traded as „African Rosewood“, but is not to be confused with Rosewood. Despite its hardness and heaviness, it is easy to work with. It is used for furniture, woodturning and inlays.