Arle, I have wondered about this. What qualities does desert ironwood (Olneya testosa) lack? Is it the hardness or oil content?
Wood from the desert tree Guaiacum coultari probably would work as a substitute for Lignum vitae. The tree is closely related to Guaiacum oficinale and Guaiacum sanctum.the two sources of lignum vitae. Guaiacum coultari grows in northern Sonora Mexico, not too far south of Arizona. It might not work for ship's bearings because the tree is smaller than the two trees that yield lignum vitae-- . A botanist once told me that its wood is as hard as lignum vitae. --Stan On 2/8/08, Arle Lommel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Lignum Vitae IS Ironwood. > > > Not necessarily. Ironwood is used to describe quite a number of very > hard woods, not all of which would be suitable. Sometimes another term > is used to specify what is meant (e.g., "desert ironwood") but not > always, so the name ironwood won't tell you what it is. For example, > when someone says ironwood to me, I think of the stuff that grows in > the Arizona desert, a very different thing than lignum vitae. At least > in the western U.S., if you see "ironwood" for sale, it is likely that > it is the desert stuff, not what you want. > > Where I live now in Indiana some folks refer to osage orange/hedge > apple as ironwood (although it usually just gets called "hedge"). It, > at least, might work in place of lignum vitae: similar hardness (nails > spark when driven into it) and similarly high oil content. > > -Arle >
