PURPLEHEART

STRENGTHS

-dramatic purple color

-strong and hard

 -heavy

________________________________________________________________________

WEAKNESSES

-not widely available

-difficult to use

 -interlocking grain

-tends to check and split

_________________________________________________________________________

Wood Type: Tropical hardwood

Sources: Tropical South and Central America, but mostly in the Brazilian Amazon region

Cost: This hardwood is not easily found and can vary greatly in cost from moderate to expensive.

Purpleheart (Peltogyne paniculata) otherwise known as amaranth, has various species. The main ones being P.pubescens,P.porphyrocardia,and P.venosa. This wood is brown when cut and turns to a striking color of purple when exposed to air. Although,without UV protection, it will revert back to brown when exposed to sunlight. The color is consistent ,though there can be slightly darker bands. The heartwood of purpleheart is deep purple violet,maturing to a dark brown color.

Purpleheart is a hard, heavy wood that is strong but not easy to bend. In Central and South America it is used in cabinetry and furniture,but also for flooring and heavy outdoor construction work like bridges, pilings, docks and harbor work. This wood can also be used for inlays and sliced into decorative veneer.

Purpleheart is not listed as a threatened species. Some certified lumber is available, but not widely.