DATA SOURCE(S): 1,2,5,7,8,24,36,38,43
Common Name(s): East Indian rosewood, Indian palisander, Indian rosewood, sonokeling
Scientific Name: Dalbergia latifolia
Distribution: India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia
Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall,
2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 53.4 lbs/ft3 (855 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.73, 0.86
Janka Hardness: 2,350 lbf (10,440 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 16,680 lbf/in2 (115.0 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,783,000 lbf/in2 (12.30 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,890 lbf/in2 (61.3 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 2.6%, Tangential: 5.9%,
Volumetric: 8.6%, T/R Ratio: 2.3
Color/Appearance: Heartwood of East Indian rosewood can vary from golden brown to deep purplish brown, with darker blackish streaks. The wood darkens with age, usually becoming a deep brown. (Indeed, one of this wood’s old commercial names was Bombay blackwood.[1]Farmer, R.H. (1972). Handbook of Hardwoods (p. 184).) Pale sapwood is sharply demarcated from the heartwood.
Grain/Texture: Grain is usually narrowly interlocked. Medium texture and good natural luster.
Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable, with good termite resistance.
Workability: East Indian rosewood can be somewhat difficult to work with because of its interlocked grain and density. Occasionally, the wood can contain chalk-like deposits that will rapidly dull cutting edges. Like most other rosewoods, finishing can be problematic. Generally turns and glues well.
Odor: Has a distinct, rose-like scent when being worked; some find its scent less pleasant than other Dalbergia rosewoods.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are somewhat uncommon, East Indian rosewood has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually the most common reaction is skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Pricing/Availability: Increasingly limited availability, though found in both board and turning blank form. Expect prices to be high for an imported hardwood, though not as prohibitively high as some of the scarcer rosewoods.
Sustainability: East Indian rosewood is listed on CITES appendix II under the genus-wide restriction on all Dalbergia species—which also includes finished products over 22 pounds (10 kg) made of the wood. It is also listed on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range, and exploitation.
Common Uses: Fine furniture, musical instruments, veneer, turned and other specialty wood objects.
Comments: Not to be confused with sissoo, another true rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) native to India that sometimes goes by the name Indian rosewood—this latter species, though highly regarded regionally in India, doesn’t have nearly the same high reputation as Dalbergia latifolia, particularly among luthiers.
Besides the Indian subcontinent, East Indian rosewood is also native to Indonesia, where it’s called sonokeling. (Some believe this species was merely introduced to Indonesia and is technically not native.)[2]Yulita, K., Susila, Rachmat, H. H., Dwiyanti, F. G., Atikah, T. D., Subiakto, A., … & Kamal, I. (2022). Population genetic of the Indonesian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) from Java and … Continue reading
East Indian Rosewood has been used extensively on acoustic guitars since the mid 1960s as a substitute for the now-endangered Brazilian Rosewood. However, supplies of East Indian rosewood have also become increasingly hard to come by, and with the blanket restriction of all Dalbergia rosewoods in 2017, other substitutes are likely to become more and more commonplace.
Images: Drag the slider up/down to toggle between raw and finished wood.
A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing a wood sample and turned photo of this wood species.
Identification: See the article on Hardwood Anatomy for definitions of endgrain features.
Porosity: diffuse porous; growth rings not visible
Arrangement: solitary and radial multiples
Vessels: medium to very large, few to very few; dark brown deposits common
Parenchyma: vasicentric, lozenge, winged, confluent, and banded
Rays: narrow width, normal spacing; rays not visible without magnification
Lookalikes/Substitutes: Commonly confused with Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) in acoustic guitars. If a section of endgrain is visible, one of the best ways to separate the two is observing pore density. While both species have relatively infrequent pores, the pores of East Indian rosewood occur about twice as frequently as Brazilian rosewood (about 4-8 pores per mm² for East Indian rosewood, versus 1-4 pores per mm² for Brazilian rosewood.)[3]Richter, H.G., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2000 onwards. Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 9th April 2019. delta-intkey.com
Notes: For more information, see the article Distinguishing Brazilian Rosewood from East Indian and Other Rosewoods.
Related Content:
References
| ↑1 | Farmer, R.H. (1972). Handbook of Hardwoods (p. 184). |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Yulita, K., Susila, Rachmat, H. H., Dwiyanti, F. G., Atikah, T. D., Subiakto, A., … & Kamal, I. (2022). Population genetic of the Indonesian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) from Java and West Nusa Tenggara revealed using sequence-related amplified polymorphism. Forest Science and Technology, 18(4), 172-181. |
| ↑3 | Richter, H.G., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2000 onwards. Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 9th April 2019. delta-intkey.com |
Is this latifolia?Can we identify just by looking at the bark
I’ve used this rosewood for small turning projects like wine bottle stoppers and pens with fine results; besides, i’m a fan of most rosewoods as they do have a distinctive pleasant odor which makes the experience using it all the better!
If you’re considering this wood for furniture, please try another species. This is one of a few tropical hardwoods prized by musical instrument makes. We cringe when we see a hundred guitars turned into a footstool. Thanks.
Speaking as a luthier, this is one of the reasons I’d like to see the industry embrace domestic hardwoods. Tougher to sell because of a century of bias but I believe a world class sounding guitar can certainly be built from oak or black locust or any number of trees growing in our back yard.
I’m surrounded by this stuff. In the 1980s, we bought Chinese rosewood furniture like it was going out of style. Cheap hinges and clasps. Cheap glue. (I actually got out of a king chair in a showroom and had the entire arm structure pop out.) But the wood and workmanship were superb. Forty years later, the desk I’m typing still holds the same beautiful blacks, reds, and orange hues will little darkening over the years. The rust-orange is similar to quarter sawn Sapele after it darkens. But East Indian Rosewood finishes much smoother unless you meticulously fill the Sapele. All… Read more »
I suppose this is not suitable for making an axe handle/shaft out of. For an axe handle that is to be longer than 20″ it is important that you find a piece with straight grains. But If someone has made tool shafts or anything that has been exposed to mechanical load, please let me know what you have experienced with this wood.
A 6″ bowl in East Indian Rosewood
Does East Indian Rosewood float?
In water, yes.
What about East Indian Rosewood for nunchaku?
I turned a ring made of East Indian Rosewood. Didn’t have any issues with it on the lathe.
How’s that!!!
How is this wood, or other kinds of rosewood, for carving (in terms of holding details and also ease of carving with hand tools)?
Hasan,
I have used East Indian Rosewood for carving and turning but on a machine. I don’t see a problem carving with hand tools, only that the wood is pretty hard to work with. Rest is all fine.
Leonard
crwtblr@gmail.com
Hey Leonard,
Have you used this wood for any straight shafts or similar objects? I am uncertain of whether this will work for an axe handle/shaft. What is important for ax axe shaft is that the grains are as straight as they can be. And that they can run parallel with the axe head/cutting edge. I´ll send you a copy to your email just to be sure you get this question.
I do not think that would be workable, because of the interlocked grain and density, I build a neck for my guitar, it looks great, and sound really beauty, however, let me tell you it was difficult, not to sand, but to carve. And not just difficult but also adding the risk of cracking.
Pd. I am not an english speaker, so, sorry my posible mistakes on writing.
Why is Dalbergia latifolia called East Indian Rosewood? all plantations are on the western side
Here in the United States, the phrase “East Indian” is usually used to distinguish it from the more generic term “Indian” — which is more ambiguous and can sometimes simply mean “native American” and may refer to indigenous peoples found in the Americas. The “East” is added to specify “Indian” in terms of Asia versus America.
I’m sorry to announce,
As of January, 2017, East Indian Rosewood, like most of our treasured Rosewoods, has been stamped onto the list of restricted woods for exportation by the Indian Government. Gone now are yet two more of these valuable woods: East Indian Rosewood and Sissoo.
Does this wood have a sparkle in the sun? I came across some wood from Indonesia sold as rot resistant plant stakes in 3/4″ square 6-foot stakes which works beautifully as xylophone keys. It is loud and has a nice long sustain when rung compared to: -two different samples of what I thought to be Brazilian Rosewood that I bought 35 years ago -African Sapele which has a quite usable tone -Cedar is actually pretty bright and loud if coarse and tinny and it’s popular for guitar soundboards -Redwood is similar to Cedar -English Yew stunk -Doug Fir useless -Purpleheart… Read more »
East Indian Rosewood was uncomplicated to work with however, I noticed a red rash on the insides of my wrists and forearms.
I now use gloves and long sleeves when sanding with this wood.