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Trade or Common
Name: Ipe, lapacho, cortez
Local Name: Corteza, corteza amarilla
Botanical Name: Tabebuia spp.
Family: Bignoniaceae
The Tree: Ipe is a large
canopy tree, growing to a height of 120 feet in the natural rainforest, with trunk
diameter up to 3 feet and a clear bole of 60 feet. Some specimens grow to 150 feet with a
6 foot diameter trunk.
Status: Ipe has been
exploited for years and is becoming increasingly rare outside of national parks and
reserves.
The Wood: Ipe heartwood is
light to dark olive brown, often with attractive lighter or darker striping and striking
contrasts with the lighter color sapwood. It has a fine texture, medium luster, and a
somewhat oily appearance. Ipe is very hard (two to three times as hard as oak), very
strong and very heavy. It weighs approximately 70 pounds per cubic foot and sinks in
water. Ipe is rated as extremely durable.
Uses: Ipe is prized for
quality furniture and decorative veneers, and because of its strength and durability, is
used in boardwalks, tool handles, turnery, industrial flooring, and textile mill items.
Availability: We grow ipe
trees only as part of our Premium
Mixture.
How to order trees
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