Specs
- Common Names
- Monkeypod, Monkey Pod, Raintree
- Scientific Name
- Albizia saman (syn. Samanea saman, Pithecellobium saman)
- Origin
- Central and South America (Also planted/naturalized in many tropical regions of the world)
- Appearance
- Color tends to be a golden to dark brown, sometimes with darker streaks. Sapwood is usually thin and yellow/white, clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Monkeypod is sometimes seen with highly figured curly or wild grain patterns. Grain is usually straight, but can also be interlocked or wavy. Texture is medium to coarse, with medium to large open pores and a moderate natural luster. Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; large to very large pores in no specific arrangement, very few to few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; heartwood deposits occasionally present; narrow rays usually not visible without lens, normal spacing; parenchyma vasicentric, lozenge, and confluent.
- Avg. Dried Weight
- 38 lbs/ft3 (600 kg/m3)
- Janka Hardness
- 900 lbf
- Modulus of Rupture
- 9,530 lbf/in2 (65.7 MPa)
- Elastic Modulus
- 1,149,000 lbf/in2 (7.92 GPa)
- Crushing Strength
- 5,790 lbf/in2 (39.9 MPa)
- Shrinkage
- Radial: 2.0%, Tangential: 3.4%, Volumetric: 6.0%, T/R Ratio: 1.7
- Durability
- Rated as durable to very durable regarding decay resistance, Monkeypod is also resistant to most insect attacks.
- Workability
- Monkeypod is generally easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though any interlocked grain may result in fuzzy or torn grain during planing operations. Glues and finishes well.
