English name: Ipe
Latin name: Tabebuia spp.
Family: Bignonlaceae
Other name(s): Bethabara, guyacan, madera negra (Ecuador), ebène vert, ebène jaune (French Guyana), whalebone greenheart (Guyana), amapa (Mexico), guayacan (Panama), lapacho negro, guayacan (Paraguay, Argentina), tahuari (Peru), groenhart (Surinam).
Features: The heartwood of Ipé has a greenish brown colour and a very fine stripy pattern. A yellow/green content can be seen in the vessels (Lapachol). The sapwood is easy to dinstinguish. The grain is straight, sometimes irregular or interlocked. The texture is fine.
Trees and distribution: Large trees, up to 30m, more than 1.8m in diameter, distributed in Tropical Middle and South America.
Material: Has a fine to medium texture, with the grain varying from straight to irregular or interlocked. Moderate natural luster.Rated as very durable; excellent insect resistance, though some species are susceptible to marine borers. Superb weathering characteristics.
Applications: Interior: e.g. hardwood flooring, parquet and stairs. Exterior: e.g. cladding, decking and waterworks.
