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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Tabebuia rosea Trade Name Roble Family Name Bignoniaceae Synonyms Tabebuia pentaphylla, Tecoma pentaphylla Common Names Afina, Amapa, Amapa rosa, Amape, Apamate, Apamate ocobo, Cambora, Caoba del brasil, Cortes, Cortez, Guayacan, Macuelizo, Macuil, Macuilis, Macuiliz, Maculez, Maculigua, Maculis, Maculiz, Maculiz prieto, Maculizo, Mano de leon, Maqueliz, Maquilgua, Maquiliqua, Maquiliz, Maria blanco, Matilisquate, Mayflower, Ocobo, Orum, Otovo, Palo blanco, Palo de rosa, Palo yugo, Pink poui, Pink trumpet tree, Poirier, Poirier du pays, Poirier rouge, Roble, Roble blanc, Roble blanco, Roble colorado, Roble de guyana, Roble de la america central, Roble de rio, Roble de savana, Roble de yugo, Roble flor morado, Roble morado, Rosa morada, Rosa morado, Taipoca, Warakuri, Weisse roble, West Indian boxwood, White cedar, Witte roble Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, Bolivia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadelope [France], Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Balusters, Beams, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Ceiling, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Cooperages, Decks, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: general, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Marine construction, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments, Oars, Paneling , Paneling, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Railroad ties, Shingles, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Widespread Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat Status unknown in many of its growth areas Rare in parts of its natural range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant This species is officially classified as Vulnerable within its natural habitat in Panama. Its status in the wild in Cuba, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela is listed as unknown because of insufficient information Distribution Overview Widely distributed in tropical America, and occurs from Mexico to northern South America and Ecuador. It occurs in a variety of habitats, but especially in somewhat swampy forests, from sea level to an altitude of about 3940 feet (1200 m). also widely cultivated. Heartwood Color Brown Purple Red Brown Greenish to greyish Pale brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Dark brown Golden brown Chestnut - dark Sapwood Color Brown Pink Red White to yellow Same as heartwood Merges gradually into the heartwood Initially pale rose, then turns grayish brown upon exposure Grain Figure Straight Other (figure) Distinct (figure) Interlocked Stripe (figure) Wavy Closed Mottled (figure) Even Rays (figure) Straight Other figure Distinct figure Striped figure Interlocked Wavy Mottled figure Straight to interlocked Rays figure Texture Fine Even or uniform Medium to coarse Medium Medium to fairly course Fine Coarse Luster Low Lustrous Medium Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to marine borers Durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Very durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Poor weathering properties Non durable Heartwood susceptible to marine borer attack Heartwood is susceptible to attack by dry-wood insects Heartwood has very little resistance to decay Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Light-Induced Color Change Darker Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 T6 - D2 (4/4) US T3 - D1 (8/4) US Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rapid Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking No surface checking Slight spring/bow Slight end splitting Slight cupping No twisting or warping No end splitting No cupping, generally Ease of Drying Reconditioning Treatement Easy Tolerates severe drying schedules Kiln dries well Dries at a moderate rate with little degrade. Kiln Drying Rate Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Product Sources It is one of the most widely distributed and abundant species in Central America. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Roble wood is suggested as a subsitute for Ash (Fraxinus spp.) and Oak (Quercus sapp.) Widely cultivated for ornamental trees Blunting Effect High to severe Slight Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is mild Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Easy Excellent results Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very good response to preservative treatment Clean and smooth surfaces Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Good gluing characteristics Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mortise Very good mortising properties Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mould Fairly good response to preservative treatment Movement in Service Small Nailing Possible if prebored Easy to nail Holds nails well Thicker boards require pre-boring Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Ease of planing is moderate Requires some care to prevent rough surfaces Planing properties are excellent Resistance to Impregnation Permeable Heartwood is permeable Penetration in the sapwood is total, but irregular, while it is partial, peripheral, and irregular in the heartwood. Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Good response Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Routing yields good results Routing characteristics are good Sanding The sanding finish is generally good Results improve with 100 grain sander Screwing Easy to screw Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to turn Good results Very good turning characteristics Veneering Qualities Easy to cut No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Material can converted into smooth and compact veneers Steam Bending Very Good to Excellent Results Good Moderate Polishing Satisfactory results Good results Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = high Shrinkage, Radial = very small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Bending