Caribbean Rosewood - rough wood

Caribbean Rosewood

Botanical Name: Metopium brownei
Other Name: Chechen, black poisonwood
Origin: Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, Guatemala, Belize, and southeastern Mexico
Density: 0.88
Color: Heartwood color is red, orange and brown with darker stripes of blackish brown. Sapwood is a pale yellow.
Uses: Veneer, furniture, cabinetry, flooring, turned objects, and small specialty wood items.

The Chechen tree (or Metopium brownei) is native to the tropical regions of Central America and the Caribbean. Belonging to the cashew family, it is valued for its hard and durable wood, displaying a color palette ranging from red to brown, with darker shades. Its heartwood offers warm tones of red, orange, and brown, often contrasted by darker streaks. As it ages, the color tends to shift towards a darker reddish-brown. The well-defined sapwood stands out with its pale yellow hue. Chechen is also utilized in woodworking and sculpture for its aesthetic quality.