Perhaps due to its somewhat obscure and strangely spelled common name, Tzalam is sometimes marketed as “Caribbean Walnut,” though it bears little relation to the true walnuts in the Juglans genus. Appearance-wise, Tzalam can closely resemble Koa. Fluorescent
4/4 Tzalam Table Top: 32 x 49
$436.00
Only 1 left in stock
Only 1 left in stock
Description
Common Name(s):
Tzalam, Caribbean Walnut, Sabicu, False Tamarind
Scientific Name:
Lysiloma spp. (L. bahamense and L. latisiliquum)
Distribution:
Mexico and Central America
Tree Size:
50-65 ft (15-20 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter
Color/Appearance:
Heartwood light to medium brown, sometimes with a reddish or purplish hue. Darker brown streaks common. Thin sapwood is a pale grayish white, clearly demarcated from heartwood. Sometimes seen with curly grain patterns.
Grain/Texture:
Straight grain with an open, uniform texture. Medium luster.
Endgrain:
Diffuse-porous; large pores in no specific arrangement, few to very few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; heartwood deposits occasionally present; narrow rays not visible without lens, normal spacing; parenchyma vasicentric, lozenge, confluent, and banded (marginal).
Workability:
Overall working properties are good, though Tzalam may blunt tool edges faster than usual. Turns, glues, and finishes well. Able to take a high natural polish.
Common Uses: Flooring, exterior furniture, interior trim, veneer, turned objects, and other small, specialty wood items
