Wood Species Guide
Panga Panga
Millettia stuhlmannii
Also called: Jambire, Panga-Panga, Partridgewood (shared trade name)
About the name “Panga Panga”
Panga panga is a close cousin of wenge and looks very similar, with dark brown wood and fine light lines. "Partridgewood" is used for it, but the same name is also applied to several unrelated South American woods.
What Panga Panga looks like
Heartwood is a dark chocolate brown with fine, lighter tan to near-black lines, a little warmer than wenge. Sapwood is pale yellow and clearly set off.
Grain and texture
Straight grain with a coarse texture and large, open pores. Flatsawn faces show a strong partridge-wing pattern.
Working Panga Panga: planing, cutting and gluing
Hard and heavy with a blunting effect on cutters. It machines well but splinters along the edges, so break edges early and wear gloves. The open pores make it slow to fill smooth. It glues well on fresh surfaces.
Finishing Panga Panga: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Most people use an oil or hardwax oil and leave the pores open. For a smooth film finish, grain fill first. Under epoxy, seal coat the open pores or they will bubble.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Very durable against rot and resistant to termites. It is fairly stable once dry. In Florida it is a solid pick for covered outdoor pieces and flooring, as long as it acclimates first.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Panga panga does most of what wenge does at a lower price: dark flooring, accent strips, table bases and contrast in cutting board patterns (keep the board itself in a closed-grain wood). Watch the splinters. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Panga Panga
Flooring, furniture, cabinetry, turned objects, accent strips and an ebony or wenge substitute.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices and not evaluated on the IUCN Red List, as of our last check. Buy from suppliers who can document legal origin.
Safety and toxicity
- Sensitizer (allergy builds with exposure)
- Skin irritation
- Splinters prone to infection
Few reports for panga panga itself. Its close relative wenge is a known sensitizer with infection-prone splinters, so treat it with the same care.
- In the shop
- Dust extraction + respirator; gloves and long sleeves for splinters
- Food contact
- Not recommended for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Few reports specific to panga panga, but its close relative wenge is a known sensitizer and irritant, and its splinters are notorious for getting infected. Treat panga panga the same way: dust extraction, a respirator and gloves.
Panga Panga in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Panga Panga 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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