Color/Appearance:Heartwood is creamy white or light yellow, not clearly demarcated from the white sapwood. Can have grayish streaks. Buckeye burl can feature reddish brown knots, with light to dark gray swirls of discoloring (seepictures below).
Grain/Texture:Buckeye has a fine, even texture. Grain tends to be straight or slightly interlocked.
Rot Resistance:Buckeye has poor decay resistance, and is rated as non-durable to perishable.
Workability:Buckeye is generally easy to work, but its unusually low density can lead to fuzzy surfaces, similar to aspen or cottonwood. Responds poorly to steam bending. Glues and finishes well.
Odor:Buckeye can have an unpleasant smell when green, which greatly subsides upon drying.
Pricing/Availability:Not typically used for lumber due to its low density and strength, Buckeye can sometimes be found in board form, and should be comparable toaspenorbasswood. Burls are more valuable and are sold for smaller specialty purposes.
Sustainability:This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Common Uses:Furniture, utility wood, boxes/crates, pulpwood; while the burl sections are used for electric guitar tops, pen blanks, and other small, specialty turned objects.