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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 Certified Source Common Names 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Cordia collococea Trade Name Candelera Family Name Boraginaceae Common Names Ateje, Candelera, Cereza cimarrona, Manjak, Mapou blanc Regions of Distribution Central America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Guadeloupe Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Various species in the hard-wooded or dark-colored Gerascanthus group of the genus Cordia grow in northern Florida, the West Indies, Central America southward to Brazil and Argentina. Species from Mexico grow at altitudes up to1640 feet (500 m) in tropical dry regions with average precipitation of about 40 inches (1000 mm). Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Red Black Orange Pink Reddish brown Contains dark streaks Sapwood Color White Yellow Green/Grey Red Brown Yellow reddish-brown Grain Even Straight Interlocked Straight to interlocked Texture Coarse Medium Medium Luster Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Poor weathering properties Naturally resistant Develops severe surface and end checks upon exposure to exterior conditions Kiln Schedules T6 - D2 (4/4 - 6/4) US T3 - D1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Checking and warping can be prevented by drying under milder conditions Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Medium to High Shrinkage Easy Dries rapidly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Certified Source Certified Source Blunting Effect Moderate Little Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Good results Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Glues well Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Moulding Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mould Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Good nailing properties Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Good planing properties Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Poorly Easy to Work Excellent response Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very good results Screwing Pre-boring recommended Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Excellent results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Resists denting and marring Hardness (side grain) = hard Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6831 11094 psi Crushing Strength 882 372 psi Hardness 794 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3440 5978 psi Shearing Strength 1294 psi Static Bending 4508 6850 psi Stiffness 1323 1715 1000 psi Toughness 84 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 5 10 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.5 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 480 780 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 62 26 kg/cm2 Hardness 360 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 241 420 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 90 kg/cm2 Static Bending 316 481 kg/cm2 Stiffness 93 120 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 96 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.35 0.70 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.5 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods -Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Wangaard, F.F., and A.F. Muschler. 1952. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume III, No. 98. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.