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ALBIZIA

Albizia spp.
Albizia spp. of the family Fabaceae (syn. Leguminosae) the legume, pea, or bean family. Native to Africa. There are almost 2 dozen species of the genus Albizia that have the word albizia as all or part of one or more of their common names and I have no idea which of them are represented on this page except as specifically noted.

Albizia species that have their own page on this site include lebbeck (Albizia lebbeck) and gogo (Albizia saponaria)

my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions

both sides of a sample plank of flatcrown (aka West African albizia) / Albizia adianthifolia


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above --- the large white streaks that appear to be either sanding scratches or huge rays are in fact tiny cracks in the wood that have filled with find dust. Notice that they are exactly parallel with the rays they are next to but not with each other as they likely would be if they were sanding scratches.


NOT A RAW WOOD COLOR --- both faces of this sample have a light coat of clear paste wax
both sides of a sample plank of West african alibizia (flatcrown) / Albizia adianthifolia --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of West african alibizia (flatcrown) / Albizia adianthifolia --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of zulu albizia / Albizia suluensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The color difference between the two sides is because the first side is aged and the second is freshly sanded.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of chinese albizia / Albizia chinensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of bitter albizia / Albizia amara --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


both sides of a piece of fragrant albizia / Albizia lebbekoides --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The sapwood has what appears to be some blue stain.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of brown albizia / Albizia procera --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of albizia / Albizia procera --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank (with blue stain) of guanacaste blanco / Albizia caribaea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. NOTE: this wood is NOT sold as "albizia" but it is of that genus and the end grain characteristics are similar to those of woods that are sold as albizia so I have put it here anyway.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of Bhilwara Rosewood / Albizia odoratissima --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. NOTE: this wood is NOT sold as "albizia" but it is of that genus and the characteristics are similar to those of woods that are sold as albizia so I have put it here anyway.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of albizia (bhilwara) / Albizia odoratissima --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. NOTE: this wood is NOT sold as "albizia" but it is of that genus and the end grain characteristics are similar to those of woods that are sold as albizia so I have put it here anyway.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of guanacaste blanco / Albizia caribaea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. NOTE: this wood is NOT sold as "albizia" but it is of that genus and the end grain characteristics are similar to those of woods that are sold as albizia so I have put it here anyway.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of albizia / Albizia ferruginea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of African albizzia (latandza) / Albizia ferruginea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


veneer, sold to me as just "albizia" and with accurate color. The dealer's pic is shown below and has very inaccurate color.

web pics:

plank


plank with wet and dry sections


plank listed as Albizia ferruginea


planks, all from the same vendor, all listed as bhilwara / Albizia odoratissma and all slathered in wax.


albizia (bhilwara) / Albizia odoratissima planks, all from the same vendor, all moistened for the pics and all with both levels of enlargement present


bhilwara (=albizia) / Albizia odoratissima bowl blanks slathered in wax and with both levels of enlargement present


pen blanks listed as flat crown / Albizia adianthifolia


turning stock listed as bhilwara / Albizia odoratissima


veneer --- the web pic of the lot from which my own samples were taken --- the color on my pics is accurate; this pic is a typical dealer misrepresentation, and leads me to believe that the colors on ALL of the web-pics below are similarly incorrect.


veneer, all from the same vendor and all with suspect colors (almost certainly too much pink)


veneer with what is probably a correct color


veneer


veneer with wet and dry sections