Jatoba

Jatoba, also known as Brazilian Cherry, is a dense hardwood prized for its rich reddish-brown heartwood with occasional darker streaks and a fine to medium texture, offering both elegance and durability. Native to Central and South America, Jatoba is celebrated for its hardness, stability, and beautiful natural luster, making it ideal for high-quality woodworking and decorative projects.

Its straight to slightly interlocked grain allows Jatoba to machine, turn, and sand smoothly, producing a polished surface that highlights its vibrant color and subtle figure. Perfect for pen blanks, knife handles, turned objects, inlays, furniture accents, and specialty crafts, Jatoba combines functional strength with striking aesthetics.

Botanical Information

Scientific Name: Hymenaea courbaril

Family: Fabaceae

Origin: Central and South America (Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela)

Common & Trade Names

Jatoba, Brazilian Cherry, Courbaril, South American Cherry

Key Characteristics

Heartwood: reddish-brown with darker streaks

Sapwood: pale, clearly defined

Straight to slightly interlocked grain

Fine to medium texture

Extremely dense, hard, and durable

Smooth natural luster

Workability

Dense and hard; requires sharp tools

Machines, sands, and turns well with care

Accepts stains, oils, and finishes beautifully

Glues and polishes reliably

Ideal for small precision and decorative projects

Health & Safety Note

Jatoba wood dust may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. Use proper dust extraction, respirator, and eye protection when machining or sanding.

Jatoba wood, Hymenaea courbaril, Brazilian Cherry, South American hardwood, exotic hardwood blanks, pen blank wood, knife handle wood, turning wood, decorative hardwood, artisan craft wood