Wood Koa Tree Hawaii

The legendary koa wood native to the islands of hawaii has honored heritage is highly revered and considered sacred.
Wood koa tree hawaii. Acacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the family fabaceae. The beautiful grain of the wood is renowned for its deep rich colors and varied patterns. Some of the early hawaiian weapons were called l ei o mano.
The highest populations are on hawaiʻi maui and oʻahu. Koa is widely considered to be the most beautiful and useful of hawaii s native hardwoods and along with monkey pod and mango it is the most common hawaiian species to be imported into the lower 48 united states. Koa is the largest native tree species in the hawaiian islands reaching heights of approximately 115 feet. Koa acacia koa hawaiian islands probably the most ancient tree species on our islands koa has long been recognized as a high quality wood prized for its hardness strength straight bole and close beautiful grain which would not warp even after years in sea water.
Koa wood is hawaii s most popular. The prized koa wood. Koa is the fastest growing of hawaii s valuable hardwoods growing as much as an inch in diameter per year. Koa wood is also unmatched in price and is prized.
A koa tree can reach a hundred feet in height with a trunk diameter of five feet or larger. It is wood that is unlike any other. Historically koa wood was used by early hawaiians to build ocean going canoes surfboards spear handles and ukuleles. It is endemic to the hawaiian islands where it is the second most common tree.
This wood became synonymous with the warriors themselves and it became known as koa. Australian blackwood acacia melanoxylon is considered to be a more sustainable and visually mechanically similar substitute. Its name in the hawaiian language koa also means brave bold fearless or warrior. The koa tree exists only in hawaii and nowhere else in the world.
The word koa means warrior in hawaiian. For woodworkers and wood dealers it is considered second to none because of its lovely appearance.