COMMON NAMES:   Purpleheart, amaranth, violetwood

SPECIFIC GRAVITY:   .86

DENSITY:  54 lbs./cu.ft.

TANGENTIAL MOVEMENT:   4.5%

RADIAL MOVEMENT:   2%

VOLUMETRIC SHRINKAGE:   9.9%

DURABILITY1:   Very good

SOURCE:  Central and South America.

DESCRIPTION:   Purpleheart is brown when freshly cut but oxidizes to a bright violet purple and eventually to a dark purplish brown. Hard, heavy and finely textured, purpleheart's grain is usually straight, often with a fine, curly figure. There is considerable variation in color, texture and density among the several species that account for commercial supplies of purpleheart. It is moderately hard to work but takes a glossy, lustrous finish.

1 Durability refers to a wood's resistance to rotting in wet environments.