Ebiara, Berlinia Bracteosa,(or Red Zebra Wood)grows in equatorial West Africa in Cameroon, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Congo and Zaire. It is commonly called Mposso in West Africa. The wood that is produced from this tree looks like a hybrid cross of Zebra wood and Bubinga. It has the beautiful reds of Bubinga with the striking stripes of Zebra in one species! Sapwood is whitish pink with heartwood ranging from red to brown with purple veins. We are sure that you will be as excited about this species as we are! The wood works easier than Zebra or Bubinga as it is slightly less dense. Uses include boxes, cabinets, picture frames, turned articles, and other high end uses.
From equatorial western Africa, Zebrawood is usually logged by hand with a hundred men or more on mountain slopes. It is arduous, back breaking work. Trees can be quite large with diameters of 3-5 ft. and straight trunks of 40-60 ft. before the first limbs. When Zebra logs are cut, they are almost always quarter sawn to show the fine Zebra stripes in the lumber. This colorful grain is one of the most appealing features of Zebra wood. The black & golden lines make this an excellent choice for many projects. Interlocking grain can produce beautiful iridescence in quarter sawn boards! For ease in finishing use a sanding sealer to seal the open pores. Uses include: furniture, cabinets, architectural applications (veneer), turned articles, musical instruments, rifle stocks, boxes and more!
