Ebony is one of the most expensive types of wood. And if we are talking about the Real Ebony - it is called black ebony - we can definitely say that this is the most expensive tree species. After all, it is sold at an average of one hundred dollars per kilogram - yes, this wood is sold for kilograms!
Ebony belongs to the family Ebenaceae (ebony) genus Diospyros - in our language this word is translated as a well-known persimmon! There are up to two hundred species of ebony, they grow in the subtropics and tropics of Africa, Asia and a number of islands in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Ebony wood is varied in color and texture, largely depends on the specific type and place of growth. In the century before last, according to the Brockhaus and Efron encyclopedia, traders identified more than a dozen species and subspecies, today this classification is limited to five points:
- Real black ebony from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Zaire.
- White ebony - native to the Philippine and Mascarene islands.
- Wiry ebony - Coromandel (Calamander), from New Zealand, as well as similar Kamaguk and Filipino ebony.
- Red ebony native to the island of Mauritius
- The cheapest and most affordable green ebony growing in India. It is from it that most of the parquet sold in our country is made. However, this is still a real ebony tree, unless, of course, under this name, the Pecoma leucoxylon wood of the bignonium family, similar in properties, is not sold.
Of greatest interest and value is the wood of black ebony, which grows on the territory of the countries of Central Africa. It is difficult to call this plant a tree - for several hundred years it grows only up to ten meters in height and is rarely thicker than one meter. Such a plant rather resembles a shrub in appearance. Perhaps this is the smallest of the exotic trees that have industrial use. In addition, unlike the "giants", which have a very narrow sapwood, the ebony has a very wide sapwood. And the output of the core part of the ebony is no more than 1/3 of the mass of the entire trunk, and 70% of the sapwood is removed immediately after felling. Despite (and perhaps due to) the small size of the plant, the value of wood is extremely high.
Black ebony has black, black-brown or greenish-black wood with lighter longitudinal stripes, on which the annual rings do not differ. Ebony is amazingly beautiful, polishes well and gives an excellent gloss, strong, stable and durable. Wood is heavier than water, is not afraid of moisture, fungi and woodworms. East African ebony is in most cases darker than West African. The highest quality wood is considered to be grown and harvested on the island. Madagascar.
Ebony is relatively easy to process, given its very high density and high hardness, but when sawing it is more correct to use carbide-tipped cutters and saws. The quality of industrial wood is largely dependent on proper drying. It takes place in the best way in natural conditions, but this process lasts for years. Wood that has been dried using accelerated technology is prone to cracking and has internal stresses that can cause defects in finished products.
What can you do with ebony? Pretty much anything, it's just a matter of price. The ancient Egyptians made furniture, sarcophagi, pharaonic wands and arks from it, inlaid with gold and ivory - the materials were of the same value. The ebony artifacts that have come down to us from the times of the 6th dynasty (this means that they were made about 4.5 thousand years ago) are the best confirmation of their durability. By the way, in those days, according to the Egyptologists, this tree was called the same - "khebeni". And they brought it from the same regions of Africa - then Nubia and Ethiopia. Naturally, both the Greeks and the Romans were familiar with ebenos, who used "ebenos" for the same purposes as the Egyptians.
Nowadays, ebony is mostly used for the production of furniture (or rather, manufacturing, since ebony furniture is made exclusively by hand, and in a more "mass" process it is used only for decoration). Much of this wood is used to create musical instruments - necks of violins and violas, guitars and mandolins. In "branded" pianos, black keys are made of ebony (and white keys are made of ivory). Due to its high density, ebony produces not only beautiful, but also well-balanced billiard cues. Cutlery handles - forks, spoons, knives - are made from "scraps" (this valuable wood goes into action, down to the smallest fragments). Ebony is also used by modern jewelers - it goes well with tortoiseshell, mother of pearl and ivory.
Despite the high cost, manufacturers of floor coverings did not bypass this breed. Parquet and parquet boards are made of ebony. It turns out very beautifully, but such pleasure is available only to very wealthy people, even if the parquet is made not of black African, but of green Asian ebony.
Eben makes excellent sculptures and masks, especially if they were carved by real masters of Makonde. Such works of art can be purchased relatively inexpensively directly from markets in Africa. True, crafty Africans, in order not to waste valuable timber on tourists, often make masks and busts from another species, also dense and heavy, and then “bring” them to the desired color and shine with the help of wax and a shoe brush. But it is not difficult to expose such a swindle - it is enough to pick the inner surface of the mask with the tip of a penknife - in the case of a fake, light wood will appear on the cut. In ebony, the blade of a pocket knife, most likely, simply will not climb, and if successful, you will still see black wood. The Africans themselves are well aware of the value of ebony and use it in the manufacture of religious objects and traditional weapons.
It is believed that ebony has healing properties - the reason why furniture made from this wood is usually not upholstered. In medieval Europe, it was believed that poisons, falling into ebony dishes, are neutralized. Ebony tinctures were used as the "elixir of youth." They were a popular (and possibly quite effective) remedy among men with potency problems and were widely used until the early 20th century.
Another type of ebony is macassar - it is mined on the islands. Borneo, Sulawesi, Maluku. It is sometimes called "fiery ebony", because on a black background, crimson stripes glow with a red flame. The wood is as valuable as African ebony and has identical technical characteristics. Currently, this wood is not officially sold - macassar is listed in the international Red Book. As for the African ebony, its supply to the international market is extremely limited - they are completely controlled by the governments of the countries where it grows and is harvested.
There is (and is sustained) a fair amount of confusion among exotic timber traders about the names and correspondences of certain species. In the past, when the supply of overseas timber was not massive, craftsmen determined the breed "by eye and touch", focusing on texture and density. They rarely made mistakes, because the number of breeds was small, and the suppliers were verified. But when numerous and varied species of trees growing in America, Africa and Asia, similar in appearance, but belonging to different botanical species, genera and families, were brought to Europe, mistakes became inevitable. The common commercial name - ebony - includes the wood of plants belonging to different families (ebony, acacia, bignonium, legumes, etc.), which have dark and dense wood. But real ebony is unique and inimitable, and it's easy to be convinced of this - you need to grow it yourself. Of course, you will hardly be able to bring it to the state of commercial wood - it takes several centuries, but it is quite possible to enjoy the wonderful ornamental plant that turns green on your windowsill. From a sapling of an ebony tree, you can form an excellent bonsai in just a couple of decades. It will also help out when the clock has stopped - at nine in the morning it unfolds its leaves, and at 18 it folds, regardless of the season and the spring-autumn translations of the hands.
1. Ebony or ebony belongs to the genus of tropical Persimmon trees (Diospyros). This tree grows in the rainforests of India, Africa, South Asia.
2. Eben, as it is also called, belongs to the valuable species of wood.
3. It grows very slowly, which is why the wood acquires a significant density - up to 1300g / m3. Due to its increased density, it sinks in water.
4. Contains essential oils and therefore is resistant to negative influences of the external environment: humidity, high temperature, does not rot.
5. In terms of hardness and strength, ebony wood is 2 times higher than oak wood.
6. Dust from ebony wood can irritate the skin, lungs and holes of a person.
7. Of the 103 types of ebony, several main ones can be distinguished:
Cameroon ebony is perhaps the most common type of ebony. Characteristic black color.
- unlike the previous one, a very rare variety of ebony. Moon ebony is the only one with light shades of wood with a beautiful texture. It grows in the Philippines and in the forests of Myanmar. It is forbidden to be cut down and exported. Lunar ebony is used to make exclusive billiard cues, decorative furniture, souvenirs and inlay. Products from this breed are very expensive.
- dark brown wood with fine pores. Resistant to moisture.
- sometimes called "colored" ebony, because it has a black core with a pattern of light yellow and brown stripes, and the sapwood is yellowish-white. The wood of Makassar ebony is quite durable and dense.
- this tree grows in Vietnam and Laos. It resembles Macassar ebony in coloring.
- also called "black ebony". The wood is twice as hard as oak. The surface is perfectly polished and becomes perfectly flat.
8. Drying of ebony wood is a very laborious process. Therefore, in order to stop the growth of trees, the trunk is cut down in a circle.
9. Eben is widely used in the manufacture of furniture, musical instruments. Figurines and souvenirs are expensive and are considered collectible.
Ebony is a plant growing in the tropics, belonging to the persimmon genus, which has a black (in some regions black with stripes) core. Distribution area: tropical forests of Africa, the islands of the Indian Ocean, some parts of Ceylon and India, southeastern and southern zones of Asia. Wood sinks in water. Other plant names: "music tree", black, "zebra", mpingo. Since antiquity, mankind has used the bark, foliage and wood of this plant, considering it magical.
Varieties
Ebony refers to several species. Among the most popular are:
Advantages and uses
The value of wood in its color (all the beauty can be assessed by a photo of ebony) and resistance to various external influences. It is noteworthy that even insects do not harm the tree. The wood is quickly polished and after this procedure acquires a metallic sheen and becomes cold to the touch.
Due to its dense structure and resistance to moisture, ebony is used to make musical instruments (flutes, oboes, clarinets, piano keys). Wood for guitars is of particular value. Some parts of this instrument are made of it. So, the neck transfers the center of gravity of the guitar and does not wear out much, and the polished shell does not emit extraneous sounds when playing, when the pick slides off the strings.
Chess (black pieces), knife handles, and various exclusive souvenirs are made from ebony. Of course, their cost is far from low.
Wood has gained immense popularity in the furniture industry. Back in the 17th century, craftsmen appreciated it and used it in inlay and veneering.
At the beginning of the 19th century. Egyptian, Roman and Greek culture became fashionable, which led to the manufacture and distribution of curule chairs. The products were very durable, but at the same time graceful and outwardly seemed weightless.
Since, as with ebony, ebony is often counterfeited, it is important to know how to identify a truly valuable breed.
Authenticity is fairly easy to determine. To do this, you need to take the object in your hand and assess its weight. A real ebony product, even at a small size, will be heavy.
Nuances of working with wood
Processing and preparing ebony for further work is a laborious process, since wood is very difficult to dry, cut and saw.
During harvesting, pre-drying is used. To do this, two years before the cut of the tree itself, circular notches are made on the trunk. Thanks to them, the plant stops growing. To prevent sawn wood from drying out too quickly, it is sheltered from drafts and sunlight. Additionally, the ends are treated with a special material. Before working with ebony (for example, cutting sculptures), the tree should dry out for about 2-3 years.
When working with it, you need to use very sharp and durable tools that prevent the wood from splitting or cracking. As for the properties, the massif is practically not wetted with liquid solutions. Nevertheless, the wood is highly polished and the product can be given a mirror finish. Another excellent quality of many types of ebony wood is that it bends after hot steaming. In addition, you can add that the tree is very beautiful, has unique qualities, so it does not need any antiseptic treatment or etching.
Protective equipment should be worn when working with ebony, as ebony dust is highly irritating to the lungs, skin and eyes.
Ebony is not found in mass consumption, since it is very valuable and accessible only to the well-to-do segment of the population. Therefore, if the market claims that in front of you is an ebony product, then they are trying to foist you on a fake or the product is made of cheap breeds. Keep in mind that it is problematic to take out even a sculpture made of raw wood, because it is registered with the state.
Ebony products - video
Ebony is one of the hardest and heaviest woods on
Earth. It got its second name "black wood" because of its color,
sometimes really almost black. Although historically the name is black
the tree stuck to a rare variety of African rosewood. Ebony
the tree has many species and even more commercial varieties. General for
all varieties have a density, usually close to or greater than 1.
Strength, hardness, such that the cutting tool for normal operation
you have to sharpen frequently. Very difficult to handle, very expensive. Ebony dust
often causes allergic reactions. Ebony wood is very difficult to dry,
often improperly dried wood cracks. Also wrong
dried wood is very unstable.
Madagascar |
Madagascar ebony, ebony, Ebony - Madagascar, lat. Diospyrus - spp.. The tree is up to 15-20 meters high and up to half a meter in diameter. Occurs on Madagascar and Seychelles. The blackest of all varieties of ebony. The color is often literally anthracite black with a metallic sheen on fresh slice. Commercial varieties - striped M.E. (Madagascar Ebony Striped) or gray-haired (Madagascar Ebony Striped / white grade) first has stripes dark brown, the second is pale gray. Wood of all varieties very dense, very hard, very heavy. The cutting tool dulls quickly. Sawdust M.E. gives black color too. |
 Macassar |
Ebony Makassar, Makassar, Ebony - Macassar, lat. Diospyros macassar. A type of ebony common in Southeast Asia. Tree up to 20 meters and up to 70 cm in diameter.The wood is dark brown with black and dark and light brown stripes. It has a very nice texture. Density, hardness and weight are slightly lower than that of M.E. Brown sawdust. The instrument quickly dulls. |
 Gabonese |
Gabonese ebony, Ebony-Gaboon, Mgiriti, Msindi (Tanzania), Omenowa (Ghana), Kanran, Nyareti (Nigeria), Kukuo (Gabon), lat. Diospyros spp.... Ebony tree of the same species as M.E. Distributed in equatorial west Africa. The wood is black, but not radically black, in color, often brownish or with brown stripes. Density, hardness, slightly inferior to M.E., but a little easier. Sawdust is dark brown. The cutting tool blunts very quickly. |
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Ceylon ebony, lat. Diospyros ebenum... One of the most expensive types |
 Philippine |
Filipino ebony, Diospyros discolor (celebica). Very similar to makassar, however, its own kind. Has a richer texture than macassar, denser him and is often heavier. Color from black and dark brown, with stripes from brown to cream and pale yellow. Has commercial varieties such as the Pale Moon Ebony. Brown sawdust. |
 Pale moon ebony |
Pale moon ebony, Diospyros discolor. Commercial variety Filipino ebony. A fantastically beautiful texture to name "Ebony" does not turn the tongue. Color from pale yellow to absolutely black with beautiful intertwining stripes of various shades. Despite the light shades, it is as dense, hard and heavy as all ebony. Good at decorating cues, especially when combined with Madagascar ebony. A very rare variety. |
Ceylon ebony- one of the types of ebony, which is an elite wood species. Today it is almost impossible to find it.
Wood stain: types and colors
It grows in Ceylon, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The wood has the most selective qualities: it is unusually hard, without clearly visible pores, it lends itself well to polishing and processing, it is resistant to water and even termites. It has a dark brown, almost black color. Usually the wood is fairly uniform, but it rarely has dark or light streaks. Sawdust is dark brown.
Due to its hardness, wood quickly dulls the tools with which it is cut. But it polishes well.
In the 16-19 centuries, the best furniture was made from Ceylon ebony.
The density is 1250-1400 kg / cubic meter.
Ceylon ebony cues look very good. All valuable properties of wood are transferred to the cue. Therefore, he is good at playing, has optimal rigidity and is resistant to external influences.
Ebony - African ebony - Black rosewood - African ebony - Grenadille: the main trade names of this tree in Russian
Blackwood - African Blackwood - Pau Preto - Grenadille - Black Rosewood - African Ebony - Ebony Mozambique: The main trade names for this wood species in other countries.
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Scientific classification:
Dalbergia melanoxylon (family of legumes Fabaceae, a subfamily of legumes Leguminosae, often separated into an independent family. In the classification by color, the family of moths Papillionaceae.
Local and trade names:
Commonly used trade names: African Blackwood, African Ebony
(African ebony), Black Rosewood, Black Ivory, Grenadille D'Afrique
(African Grenadille), Pau Preto (Portuguese, Ebony) and a number of others.
Local names in African countries are Mpingo, Mondzo, Ebene, Mufunjo, Mugembe, Babanus, Mukelete, Mozambique Ebony, Congowood. One of the most beautiful woods in the world. The main exporters of Ebony are Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa. African ebony is often passed off as the cheaper and more affordable various types of ebony from Asia and a number of Indian Ocean islands.
Wood properties:
The tree reaches a height of 10 meters or more, the trunk is corrugated, with a diameter of more than a meter in mature trees.
The density of Ebony has a wide range and is 1200 - 1500 kg / cubic meter. at 15% humidity, such large differences in density are due to growing conditions, for example, the characteristics of the soil cover (denser wood corresponds to stony, clay soils with insufficient moisture, less dense wood is characteristic of trees growing on more fertile soils with sufficient moisture). It is difficult to accurately determine the density of the presence of many defects of natural origin inside the core - during the growth process in Ebony, even in the early stages of growth, cavities and ruptures are formed inside the trunk due to the density difference inside the trunk. Ebony has the hardest of all wood species (8 HB according to Brinell), more than 2 times the hardness of oak, has a high impact strength, and resists shock loads well. Flexural strength up to 200 MPa. The shrinkage coefficient in the radial direction is 2%, in the tangential direction is 4% (for comparison, for Asian ebony it is 5.5% and 6.5%, respectively. It is recommended to cover the ends of freshly sawn timber with wax or other airtight compound to avoid cracking. The main problem is the presence of internal cavities and cavities, ruptures formed in wood, which significantly reduces the yield of first-class material.The color of the core is chocolate brown, often with lilac, violet tones, with a beautiful pattern of black stripes, veins of annual rings, darkens with time.
Ebony (ebony)
The sapwood is light, yellowish, less dense. Ebony sticks well, because of the oiliness, it is recommended to pre-sand and degrease (white spirit, etc.) the surfaces to be glued. Due to the high density and hardness during processing, the cutting edges of the tool quickly become dull, when processing it is recommended to use saws with carbide tips. Drilling is required before driving in screws and hammering in nails. Ebony wood is perfectly polished, processed on a lathe, is not subject to rotting and damage by insects due to its saturation with oily substances.
Application:
Mostly ebony wood is used in traditional carvings of African art by the Makonde people living in Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi. Ebony is used in the manufacture and decoration of billiard cues and accessories. There are several known cases of ebony parquetry and solid wood furniture sets. Ebony is mainly used as veneer for decoration and inlaying furniture and musical instruments.
In remote areas of East Africa, the local population still uses ebony wood for fuel - both firewood and charcoal. Due to the high calorific value of ebony, it is used only for heating the home, since even steel dishes quickly burn out.
Medicinal properties:
In Mozambique, it is used in traditional methods of treatment by the local population as an effective remedy for colds, treatment of malaria and headaches, and as a bactericidal and disinfectant (inhalation of smoke, infusions from a crushed heart) .. It should be noted that the magical, mystical, magical properties attributed to the ebony tree , including the anti-aging effect used in the ceremonies and rituals of the curandeiro of some peoples of East Africa. Ebony does not cause allergies, even if the fine black dust generated during sawing is inhaled for a long time. Splinters in the skin are not inflamed. In Europe, in the Middle Ages, it was believed that in ebony dishes, poisons lose their strength, tinctures on ebony were used as elixirs of youth, until the end of the 19th century a medicine was used to treat sexual disorders in men, made from infusion of parts of ebony. Modern healers (curandeiro) of East Africa (Mozambique, Tanzania) also make a means to increase male potency from the core, bark and flowers of ebony.
Makonde celebrate the "good spirit" of the Ebony, it is well known that master carvers who have worked with Ebony wood all their lives rarely get sick and are long-livers by local standards, maintaining their efficiency and clarity of mind until the end of their days.
Foliage, flowers and fruits (pods with several peas of beans) are edible and high in calories, eaten both by the local population, and by herbivores and birds.
Historical reference.
BLACK AND EBEN WOOD
The earliest finds of African ebony in the form of products were made in the tombs of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.
In ancient Greece, the wood of African ebony was called the word "ebenos", later passed into the Latin "ebenicus", which then turned into the English "ebony" and is used along with its synonym "blackwood" ("ebony"). Later, dark wood from Asia appeared in the Old World, and before the introduction of the scientific classification of plants, "ebony" was called any dark wood.
In the 19th century, with the introduction of the scientific classification of plants, it became clear that trees belonging to two different families have black wood, the words "ebony" and "blackwood" have ceased to be synonyms in the scientific and commercial spheres.
African ebony turned out to be a member of the legume family, one of the species (Melanoxylon) of the genus Dalbergia (named after the Swedish botanist Dalberg), and the name "Blackwood" remained in international trade. And its less expensive substitute of Asian origin was included in the genus Diospyros (while the genus Diospyros includes many other species that do not have black wood - for example, the Caucasian persimmon we know) - and the entire family of plants, which includes the genus Diospyros, received the name Ebony (Ebenacae), in international trade the term "Ebony", ebony or ebony remained behind it - while in a number of countries they also continue to call African ebony.
Here is a collection of local and trade names for African ebony found in different countries:
African ebony
African black rosewood
African ebony
African ebony
African grenadill
African iron tree
Grenadill
Mozambican grenadill
Mozambican ebony
Mozambican ebony
Ebony
Black iron tree
Black rosewood
Black bone
African blackwood
African Blackwood Rosewood
African ebene
African ebony
African grenadillo
African grenadilo
Babanus
Banbanus
Begboio
Black botany bay wood
Black ironwood
Black Ivory
Black rosewood
Blackwood
Blackwood rosewood
Bokango
Cape damson
Chella
Chiku
Congowood
Did
Driedoring
East African blackwood
Ebene
Ebony of africa
Funiti
Grenadilla
Grenadilla d'Afrique
Grenadille d'Afrique
Lurr
Motangu
Mozambique ebene
Mozambique ebony
Mpingo
Mufulamamba
Mufunjo
Mugembe
Mugweze
Mugwiti
Muhati
Mukelete
Mukudziti
Mumhingwe
Mungara
Munhowe
Murgwiti
Murwiti
Opo
Pau preto
Pau-preto
Pingo
Poyi
Red
Rit
Rugbe
Samachi
Senegal ebony
Shami
Tareh
Umbambangwe
Zebra wood
Ebony or ebony belongs to the tropical persimmon tree (Diospyros). This tree grows in the rainforests of India, Africa, South Asia.
2. Eben, as it is also called, belongs to the valuable species of wood.
3. It grows very slowly, which is why the wood acquires a significant density - up to 1300g / m3. Due to its increased density, it sinks in water.
4. Contains essential oils and therefore is resistant to negative influences of the external environment: humidity, high temperature, does not rot.
5. In terms of hardness and strength, ebony wood is 2 times higher than oak wood.
Dust from ebony wood can irritate the skin, lungs and holes of a person.
Of the 103 types of ebony, several main ones can be distinguished:
Cameroon ebony Is perhaps the most common type of ebony. Characteristic black color.
Moon ebony- unlike the previous one, a very rare variety of ebony. Moon ebony is the only one with light shades of wood with a beautiful texture. It grows in the Philippines and in the forests of Myanmar. It is forbidden to be cut down and exported. Lunar ebony is used to make exclusive billiard cues, decorative furniture, souvenirs and inlay. Products from this breed are very expensive.
Madagascar ebony- dark brown wood with fine pores. Resistant to moisture.
Makassar ebony- sometimes called "colored" ebony, because it has a black core with a pattern of light yellow and brown stripes, and the sapwood is yellowish-white. The wood of Makassar ebony is quite durable and dense.
Moon ebony- this tree grows in Vietnam and Laos. It resembles Macassar ebony in coloring.
Ceylon ebony- also called "black ebony". The wood is twice as hard as oak.
Ebony
The surface is perfectly polished and becomes perfectly flat.
8. Drying of ebony wood is a very laborious process. Therefore, in order to stop the growth of trees, the trunk is cut down in a circle.
9. Eben is widely used in the manufacture of furniture, musical instruments. Figurines and souvenirs are expensive and are considered collectible.
10. Most of the species of this tree are listed in the Red Book.
Ebony is a generalized name, it means a set of tree species that have wood. The tree, which is most often called black, is an ebony tree that grows in Africa (Zaire, Nigeria, Cameroon) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka, India).
Historical reference
Ebony is called differently: mugembe, black tree, "music tree", mpingo, "zebra tree". Since ancient times, people have used the bark, leaves and wood of ebony, attributed to them magical properties. Items made of black wood were found in the tomb. This valuable material was brought to Egypt from East Africa. It was believed that a weapon, the material of which was a tree of the ebony family, is capable of killing evil spirits and demons. Amulets symbolized courage, the courage of their owner, and, according to beliefs, brought strength and dexterity.
African tribes used ebony for the preparation of charcoal, because its wood has extraordinary hardness and great heat transfer.
Ebony products were often attributed to magical properties. For example, ebony boxes were intended to store magical items in order to preserve their qualities.
Properties and characteristics
Interior items and souvenirs
Ebony wood, due to its unique properties, is ideal for mechanical processing in the manufacture of various items: figurines, knife handles, souvenirs.
The most skilled carvers of ebony are the people of the Makonde tribe. They make extraordinary expressive sculptures from ebony. The work uses the method of joining materials that are different in their texture: carefully polished elements and cut out without processing.
Today, the value of ebony is also high; this elite material is used to make: chess, backgammon, walking sticks, wine boxes, cigars, decorative elements, frames for photos and paintings, handles for blades and much more.
Use of fruits and leaves
The ebony tree has edible fruits with a tart taste (this is due to the accumulation of tannin in the tissues). However, it disappears upon freezing and during storage. In some countries, the ebony leaf and its high-calorie flowers are eaten. Syrups, compotes and many other dishes can be prepared from them. Can also be eaten raw and dried.
Ebony fruits, depending on the type and place of growth, can be of different sizes. In the eastern persimmon, for example, the berries reach 10 cm in diameter.
Healing properties
Europeans in the Middle Ages were confident in the rejuvenating properties of the elixir from the tincture of the bark, pith, fruits and flowers of ebony. It was also believed that ebony dishes were able to neutralize poisons.
Eben is still used as a medicinal plant by the inhabitants of Mozambique. Tinctures are used from the core, bark, leaves and flowers. Inhalation of medicinal smoke is practiced for malaria, migraine, bronchitis. Medicines based on the roots of the tree are used to relieve abdominal pain.
Some varieties of ebony
Moon ebony is unlike other types of ebony, as its wood is distinguished by an extraordinary structure that forms bizarre stripes. The color of the wood can be any shade from dark to light yellow and whitish. Moreover, until only by its appearance, it is impossible to recognize the color of the wood. This species is the rarest, it can be found only in the impenetrable Philippine forests. Only those trees whose age has reached 400 years and more are subject to felling.
Madagascar ebony grows, as the name suggests, on the island of Madagascar, as well as in the Seychelles. The wood is anthracite black in color, with a fresh cut has a metallic sheen.
Ceylon ebony is one of the most expensive varieties of ebony. Grows in Malaysia, Indonesia, Ceylon. The color of the wood is dark brown.
Cameroon ebony has a deep black color, gray streaks are possible. The most common ebony variety. It is valued lower than other types due to the open pores of the wood.
Makassar ebony grows in Indonesia. Its sapwood is yellowish-white in color, with a black core that has a characteristic pattern of stripes of brownish shades.
Due to its unique properties of wood and increased demand, as well as the fact that more than one hundred years must pass before reaching the marketable age, ebony is becoming increasingly rare. Since 1994, ebony has been listed in the Red Book.
Elite items made from ebony are exquisite and expensive jewelry.
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