Bocote wood

Wood library / Exotic hardwoods

Bocote

Bocote

Dark lines curve across a golden-brown ground, often forming eye-like patterns. The figure remains striking in small objects.

WOODWAY MAGAZINEA striking wood with dark brown lines and eye-like patterns on a golden ground. Popular for knife handles, pens and small objects.

Black wavy lines cross a light golden-brown ground; the sapwood at the edge is pale cream.

Scientific name
Cordia elaeagnoides
Origin
Central America
Colour
Golden-brown with dark curving figure
Characteristics
Striking curved grain · Strong decorative character · Smooth finish
Suggested uses
Turning · Handles · Pens · Small carvings
Ask about this wood

Colour, figure, knots and cracks vary even within the same species. Check photographs, condition and usable dimensions of the actual piece before ordering.

Read more in Woodway Magazine

Bocote: Black Lines That Ripple Across the Board
Wood storiesBocote: Black Lines That Ripple Across the Board

A wood brought in from Mexico. Black lines ripple across a yellowish-brown background, curling into eye-shaped patterns when they meet a knot.

Oct 17, 2026 · 4 min read
Bocote: Dark Lines on a Golden Ground
Wood storiesBocote: Dark Lines on a Golden Ground

A wood in which even small pieces retain a landscape. We examine the process of reading its bright ground and curving grain, then turning a single piece of bocote into a work of art.

Oct 5, 2026 · 7 min read

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