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Silverballi
Nectandra spp.
Canelo / Laurel
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Family: Lauraceae

Other Common Names: Aguacatillo (Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica), Laurel (Colombia, Venezuela), Silverballi (Guyana), Pisi (Surinam), Canela (Brazil), Ayui-y, Laurel (Argentina). A large number of species make up this group.

Distribution: Widely distributed throughout tropical America.

The Tree Varies with species, may reach a height of 100 ft; commonly up to 28 in. in diameter, occasionally to 40 in. Boles are straight and cylindrical, sometimes buttressed.

The Wood General Characteristics: Heartwood brownish yellow with a green cast, or olive brown and in some species becoming blackish brown; transition to whitish or brownish sapwood often gradual. Texture mostly medium to rather coarse; luster usually satiny or silky; grain straight to roey; odor spicy, taste mild to pronounced.

Weight: Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) varying with species, mostly 0.43 to 0.61; air-dry density 32 to 46 pcf.

Mechanical Properties: (First set of data based on the 2-in. standard; second and third sets based on the 2-cm standard.)

Moisture content	Bending strength	Modulus of elasticity	Maximum crushing strength
	Psi	1,000 Psi	Psi
Green (74)	10,440	1,540	5,020
12%	14,230	1,650	7,260
Green (30)	12,800	1,900	5,330
15%	17,100	------	8,500
Green (30)	10,900	1,370	4,870
15%	12,400	------	6,620

Janka side hardness 930 lb. for green and dry material is 123 in-lb. (5/8-in.specimen).

Drying and Shrinkage: The wood air dries at a fast to moderate rate with little or no degrade due to warping or checking. No information available on dry kiln schedules. Shrinkage green to oven-dry: radial 3.4%; tangential 6.0%; volumetric 9.8%.

Working Properties: The wood has excellent working properties with either machine or hand tools dresses to a smooth finish. Glues and paints well.

Durability: May vary with species, generally rated durable in resistance to attack by decay fungi but rather susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites.

Preservation: Heartwood is extremely resistant to moisture absorption, comparable to teak and is thus difficult to impregnate.

Uses: Furniture and cabinet work, ship decking and boat planking, flooring, millwork, veneers and plywood, and general carpentry.

Source: Tropical Timbers of the World, U.S. Forest Products Laboratory.

 

 

S P E C I E S

Greenheart / Purpleheart / Mora / Wallaba
Jatoba   / Kabukalli / Determa   / Basralocus
Silverballi / Tatabu / Snakewood
Azobe'-Ekki

OTHERS UPON REQUEST

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