Greenheart is notably the best lumber for building in coastal environments. Its timber is distinguished due to its durability and high resistance to rot. Guyana is one of a miniscule number of countries that produce Greenheart timber. The scientific name for greenheart is Chlorocardium rodiei. However, this plant is known by several other names including, bibiru, cogwood, Demerara greenheart, Demerara groenhart and sipiroe. Long ago most houses in Guyana were built with lumber from the greenheart tree. To date, many of them still stand strong, proof of the great strength and endurance of the Greenheart tree akin to that of the Guyanese people.
Greenheart Tree – Photo by George Stanley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidstanleytravel/13927555000)
Origin of Greenheart
Greenheart or Chlorocardium rodiei is native to Guyana. However, a small number of trees are said to be found in Venezuela, French Guiana and Suriname. Greenheart grows in moist, tropical lowlands in areas below two hundred (200) metres.
Scientific Classification of Greenheart
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes
- Clade: Angiosperms
- Clade: Magnoliids
- Order: Laurales
- Family: Lauraceae
- Genus: Chlorocardium
- Species: C. rodiei
Description of Greenheart
The Greenheart is an evergreen plant that grows to about fifteen to thirty (15-30) metres tall, although other species can reach heights of up to forty (40) metres. The diameter of its trunk is an average thirty-five (35-60) to sixty centimetres, with some rare species being around one hundred (100). Greenheart trees have oval or irregular small, heavy crowns. Its leaves have smooth edges and are arranged opposite each other. The fruits of greenheart trees are drupes, each of which contains a seed.
Greenheart Timber
The greenheart tree is famous for its timber. The heartwood of greenheart lumber is the dense inner part of a tree trunk which yields the hardest timber. It is typically pale, olive green in colour, sometimes with darker streaks of green running through the wood. The sapwood is hard to distinguish from its heartwood but has a notable lighter colour; it is yellowish-green. Greenheart wood has fine to medium-fine grain, straight or interlocking with a natural lustre.
Processing of Greenheart Timber
- Drying – Greenheart dries very slowly but with minor degrade, especially in the thicker sizes. Checking and splitting may occur while distortion is minor.
- Working – Can be sawn easily and turns well. Planing is not a challenge despite the high density of the wood and interlocked grain.
- Assembly – Glueing is easy and the wood has good nail holding however pre-boring is recommended for nails and screws.
- Finishing – Staining rarely necessary and greenheart polishes satisfactorily.
Interesting tip
- Greenheart timber is valued for its resistance to decay in the ground and in saltwater.
- The tree is highly valued commercially and harvest for export as well as local use.
- An estimated eighteen (18) percent of greenheart trees have been harvested.
- Greenheart is also resistant to almost all incest attacks including the dreaded wood ants in Guyana.
- A bitter, yellow decoction of bark and crushed wood is used to treat fevers and diarrhoea. Sometimes the fruit is used instead of the bark or wood.
- A decoction of the seeds is used to treat diarrhoea.
- In Guyana and the Caribbean, greenheart is the first choice in construction since wood ants tend to destroy pine wood.
- In addition to being resistant to termite, greenheart is dense and sinks into water. Since greenheart is durable in these and similar marine conditions, it is used in shipbuilding. It can be used to build structures like docks, piers, braces, decking, groins, gates, piling, jetties, and wharves; in ship construction, for beams, engine bearers, keelsons, planking, gangways, fenders, stern posts, and sheathing for whaling ships.
Interesting tip
- The two most famous ships in the polar expeditions of Amundsen and Shackleton, the Fram and the Endurance were sheathed in greenheart to prevent ice crushing them. They were the strongest wooden ships ever built.
About Greenheart
Guyana is famous for the tough, termite resistant, beautiful timber from Greenheart trees. The stem, bark and roots of this trees too, have value in medicinal uses. Greenheart is a strong, durable wood that is suitable for construction in coastal environments but can also be used as an alternative to hollow blocks and cement in the construction of houses. You can find Greenheart lumber in local sawmills all over Guyana. For your next building project consider the greenheart lumber that leaves you with a strong, bold, and eyecatching piece.
Article References
- http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Chlorocardium+rodiei
- https://www.advantagelumber.com/greenheart.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorocardium_rodiei
- https://www.britannica.com/plant/greenheart-tree-Chlorocardium-rodiei
- http://www.tpl-gy.com/greenheart.html
- https://www.britannica.com/plant/greenheart-tree-Chlorocardium-rodiei
- http://guyanachronicle.com/2012/11/17/in-the-green-cornergreenheart-guyanas-signature-forest-product
