Wood Species Guide
Lychee
Litchi chinensis
Also called: Litchi, Lichee, Lychee Root, Lychee Burl
What Lychee looks like
Heartwood is a reddish brown to deep brown, and root and burl pieces show swirls of red, orange and dark brown. Sapwood is lighter.
Grain and texture
Fine, dense texture. Root sections and burls have wild, twisting grain with knots and inclusions.
Working Lychee: planing, cutting and gluing
Hard and dense, and root pieces are full of reversing grain, so hand sanding and power carving often beat planing. Sharp carbide tools help. Small sizes are the norm.
Finishing Lychee: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Polishes to a nice luster with oil or a buffed wax finish. Root pieces with voids and bark pockets are good candidates for clear or tinted epoxy fill, after the surface is cleaned and sealed.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Hard and fairly durable indoors. Root wood can carry dirt, stones and hidden cracks, so clean and inspect it before you work it.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Lychee root and stump pieces are popular for sculptural bases, display pieces and resin projects. Dig-up roots need to be pressure washed and fully dried before they go near a tool. Expect odd shapes rather than flat slabs. Small dense pieces also turn nicely into bowls and pens.
Common uses for Lychee
Sculptural bases, root tables, resin art, turnings, tool handles and small boxes.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Wood comes from orchard and yard trees.
Safety and toxicity
- No common reactions reported
Few reports. No reactions specific to the wood are reported, though it has had little study as a lumber species.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + dust mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
No specific reactions are well documented. Use normal dust precautions.
Lychee in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Lychee listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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