Brazilian Cherry Hardwood

Due to absolutely beautiful appearance, Brazilian cherry flooring is in extremely high demand. From a statistical perspective, this is by far the most popular wood flooring in the United States today. But before you can truly appreciate its amazing beauty, it may help if you know a little about its origins and its uses (besides flooring and furniture).

Brazilian cherry hardwood is sometimes called Jatobá. This wood comes from a tree that is indigenous to fairly warm areas, such as South and Central America. Additionally, the Brazilian cherry tree (despite it naming convention), can also be found in the Caribbean.

As for its appearance, the Brazilian cherry tree is a canopy tree that can grow up to 120 feet in height, while developing a trunk diameter of more than six feet in circumference. Its green leaves contain small red flowers, as well as a small Brfruit.

In our opinion, the ironic thing about this beautiful tree is that its fruit can release an extremely pungent odor after it matures and falls from the tree. Hence, you definitely wouldn’t want one of the Jatobá trees in your back yard or along you street.

Another ironic thing about Brazilian cherry flooring is that the tree that the wood comes from is not actually a cherry tree.

Brazilian cherry wood is often used for flooring and furniture due to its solidness and hardiness. As an example of its strength, the Brazilian cherry tree wood is almost four times as hard as the Douglas Fir tree that is native to the United States. Traditionally, Brazilian cherry wood flooring has been difficult to make because the wood is so strong and is difficult to cut and bend. However, wood floor makers and furniture makers have long learned that the wood becomes significantly more pliable if it is steamed.

Another neat aspect of the Brazilian cherry tree is that its resin can be many hundreds of thousands of years old. Believe it or not, scientists have learned a lot about bugs and plants that lived in prehistoric times just by studying the Brazilian cherry tree’s resin. While the resin has helped our scientists learn about our past, today, the resin, which pools at the base of the tree, is often used for incense.

Not surprising, the Brazilian cherry tree has also been used for many centuries for herbal use. Many people have used its wood, fruit, and leaves to treat diarrhea, bronchitis, and treat fungal infections.

If you have any additional questions, concerning Brazilian cherry wood flooring, please feel free to peruse the Brazilian Cherry Flooring Guide.