Wood Species Guide

Sapucaia (Sapucacia)

Likely Lecythis ampla (Central America); the Brazilian name sapucaia also refers to Lecythis pisonis

Also called: Jícaro, Olla de Mono, Monkey Pot, Paradise Nut, Coco, Salero

Sapucaia is a monkey-pot tree in the Lecythis genus; our Central American slabs are most likely Lecythis ampla, known locally as jícaro. It is extremely hard and heavy, with warm pink-brown heartwood, and is built for one-piece tables that last generations.

ImportHardwoodTropical Slab Woods

Good forTabletops & Slabs Outdoor & Rot-Resistant

About the name “Sapucaia (Sapucacia)”

We list these slabs as "Sapucacia", a spelling of sapucaia, the Brazilian name for monkey-pot trees in the genus Lecythis. Our slabs come from Central America and carry our supplier's "JIC" code for jícaro, a Costa Rican name for Lecythis ampla. So we believe they are Lecythis ampla, but the exact species within Lecythis can't be confirmed from the wood alone. All the candidates are very hard, very heavy woods.

What Sapucaia (Sapucacia) looks like

Heartwood is a pinkish to reddish brown that deepens with age and light. Sapwood is a whitish yellow and clearly lighter.

Grain and texture

Grain is straight to interlocked with a fine to medium texture. The wood is dense and smooth, with a subtle luster once sanded.

Working Sapucaia (Sapucacia): planing, cutting and gluing

This is a hard, heavy wood. It dulls blades quickly, and you should expect a workout moving it. Flattening on a CNC or router sled is easier than fighting it through a planer. Glue joints benefit from freshly sanded surfaces and clamps with plenty of pressure. Always pre-drill.

Finishing Sapucaia (Sapucacia): oil, film finishes and epoxy

The dense surface does not soak up much finish, so thin coats of oil or a wiping varnish build best. It takes a high polish. Epoxy bonds well to freshly sanded wood and outgassing is rarely a problem because the pores are small.

Durability, stability and Florida humidity

Lecythis woods are known as tough, durable timbers. Dense wood still moves with humidity, so Florida owners should acclimate slabs indoors, finish both faces and allow for movement at the base.

Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop

These are some of the heaviest slabs we have ever carried. Our wide pieces weigh several hundred pounds, so they are best for a permanent dining or conference table on a heavy steel base. The pink-brown heartwood warms up nicely over the first year. Budget a bit more shop time for flattening and sanding because of the hardness, but the payoff is a top that shrugs off dents.

Common uses for Sapucaia (Sapucacia)

Heavy construction, flooring, posts, tool handles, boat parts, and large live-edge tables.

Sustainability and CITES status

Not listed in the CITES Appendices. In Costa Rica, Lecythis ampla is a protected (vedada) species under Executive Decree 25700-MINAE, so legally traded wood normally comes from permitted salvage or farm trees. Ask us about paperwork on any slab.

Safety and toxicity

Our toxicity rating LowWhat the ratings mean

No common reactions reported

Few reports. We found no documented reactions to the wood or dust of these monkey-pot trees, and the exact species of our slabs is uncertain. Some Lecythis seeds can build up selenium, but that is a nut issue, not a wood issue.

In the shop: Normal dust collection + mask; this very hard wood makes fine dust, so sand with extraction
Food contact: Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils

General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.

Little is documented about reactions to this wood. Use normal dust protection. The nuts of some Lecythis species can accumulate selenium, but that concerns the seeds, not the wood.

Wood toxicity and dust safety guide: every species compared