Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Anyone keeping these? I just picked up a small one from a local native California nursery. Can't say I have ever seen them before?
Mountain mahogany?
- Thread starter Bonsai Nut
- Start date
defra
Masterpiece
Didnt even know the species tbh
Quick search on google didnt realy get any good results
Got a pic of what you picked up ?
Quick search on google didnt realy get any good results
Got a pic of what you picked up ?
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
I have nice mahogany floors in my house!
my nellie
Masterpiece
You are not serious! I don't believe you don't know this prized beautiful and durable lumber!
I was going to ask if this is the same tree to the well known Mahogany tree cultivated for its important lumber....
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
yeah, maybe, I don't know if it is....
chicago1980
Omono
- Messages
- 1,411
- Reaction score
- 2,680
Chobonsaiyamadori.com has been training this species.
chicago1980
Omono
- Messages
- 1,411
- Reaction score
- 2,680
defra
Masterpiece
sdavis
Mame
This tree (Cercocarpus) is in no way related to the tropical mahogany.
It is found occasionally in eastern Oregon and surrounding states. The wood is extremely hard and dense. Older specimens have great trunk shapes and interesting bark. I am growing them in my yard but it will take decades to get them into a decent bonsai.
Giga
Masterpiece
I just like saying mahogany......
carry on
carry on
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I'll take a photo later today. It is truly a stick in a pot atm, but I was attracted by the small sawtooth leaves that looked a little like a grey elm leaf.
I also picked up a Holly-leaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
I also picked up a Holly-leaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
my nellie
Masterpiece
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Probably not
Both Cuban and Honduran Mahogany is on the CITES II list as an endangered species. Cuba banned all exportation of Swietenia mahogani (true mahogany) in 1946. Most people consider the closely related Honduran Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) as the real thing since it is the only mahogany that is commercially available (albeit in extremely limited quantities and only from registered, renewable sources).
Any other wood in the world with a "mahogany" name - ie African Mahogany, Phillipine Mahogany, etc, isn't even in the same genus. Like the term "IPA" in beer, pretty much every lumber supplier in the 3rd world figured out that if you slap the name "mahogany" on your lumber, it will sell better, regardless of what it actually is.
For what it's worth, Mountain Mahogany has extremely dense, hard wood. It is more than twice as dense as Cuban Mahogany, and has a specific gravity greater than 1.0 (ie it sinks in water). It is one of the hardest woods in North America, I think beaten only by Desert Ironwood.
Last edited:
my nellie
Masterpiece
It's African Mahogany which I had in mind (which I know)
Thank you for the clarification.
justBonsai
Omono
They have these at the UCR botanical Gardens. I don't see why they couldn't be used for bonsai. Don't know too much about them though.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
African Mahogany: Comprised of a handful of species from the Khaya genus, all of which are native to Africa. Sometimes lacks the deeper reddish brown color and durability that is common for true mahogany in the Swietenia genus.
By the way, not knocking this wood in the slightest. I built a rocking chair for my father out of Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) which is in the same family. I thought the grain and color was amazing.
In case you ever wanted to know anything about wood: The Wood Database. I use it a lot as a woodworker.
Waltron
Chumono
im very important. I have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.
chansen
Shohin
Mountain mahogany is in ample supply around the foothills a lower portions of the mountains here in Utah. However, almost all I've seen look uncollectable. They're in difficult to dig soil in areas that frequently don't get rain. So the roots are going to run far and wide.
I'll check with a friend that does a lot of local collecting and see if he's successfully dug any.
From the times I've looked closely at them, the branches seem brittle so wiring before they're lignified is probably going to be important.
I'll check with a friend that does a lot of local collecting and see if he's successfully dug any.
From the times I've looked closely at them, the branches seem brittle so wiring before they're lignified is probably going to be important.
