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KATALOX / WAMARA / QUEENWOOD


Given the ease with which these three woods can be confused based on face grain and density, plus the fact that few people (and likely NO wood vendors) bother to do an end grain analysis even if they know how to do it, plus the fact that they ALL sometimes use the name wamara (among others), it is not surprising that they are often confused.

Although wamara is the common name that is shared among all three species, katalox is by far the most available. Wamara is rarely seen but you may run across it. Queenwood is quite obscure and you are not likely to find it for sale.

All three are generally purple or purplish in color with yellowish sapwood and are all dense/heavy. They may contain some red and even sometime some bright red or bright purple especially when freshly milled.

Here are the end grain distinctions:



katalox / Swartzia cubensis


wamara / Swartzia benthamiana


queenwood / Swartzia leiocalycina