Wood Species Guide
Tulipwood
Dalbergia decipularis (also Dalbergia frutescens)
Also called: Brazilian Tulipwood, Pinkwood, Jacarandá Rosa
About the name “Tulipwood”
This page is Brazilian tulipwood, a true rosewood. In the US, "tulip poplar" and "tulipwood" are also used for our common yellow poplar (which has its own page), and in Britain "tulipwood" usually means that poplar. Australia has an unrelated tulipwood too.
What Tulipwood looks like
Heartwood is a cream to salmon background streaked with pink, red, orange and yellow, often very bright and variable. Colors fade toward a softer pinkish brown with light.
Grain and texture
Grain is usually straight with a fine texture and medium, open pores.
Working Tulipwood: planing, cutting and gluing
Hard, dense and oily, so it dulls tools and can be stubborn to glue; wipe joints with acetone first. Small, often twisted billets are common. It turns very well and takes a high polish.
Finishing Tulipwood: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Buffed wax or a thin oil shows the colors best. Oils in the wood can slow film finishes and epoxy, so wipe with acetone and seal first. Keep finished pieces out of direct sun, because the pinks fade.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Decay resistance is low despite its density, but it resists insects. Pieces are small, so movement is rarely a problem. Keep it indoors in Florida and finish all faces.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Tulipwood comes in small, narrow pieces, so think inlay, banding, pens, knife scales and box accents. The candy-striped colors are hard to match with any other wood. Keep the pink dust away from light woods during glue-ups. Ask us if you need a piece; we can often source it with paperwork.
Common uses for Tulipwood
Inlay, marquetry, veneer, pens, knife handles, percussion instruments and small turned objects.
Sustainability and CITES status
Listed on CITES Appendix II with all Dalbergia rosewoods, so commercial shipments across borders need permits. It has not been evaluated on the IUCN Red List.
Safety and toxicity
- Sensitizer (allergy builds with exposure)
- Skin irritation
- Eye irritation
- Respiratory / asthma
Rated with the other Dalbergia rosewoods as a sensitizer. Eye, skin and airway irritation are the usual reactions.
- In the shop
- Full precautions: dust extraction, respirator, gloves and long sleeves
- Food contact
- Not recommended for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Like other Dalbergia rosewoods, tulipwood has been reported as a sensitizer that can irritate eyes, skin and airways. Use dust extraction, a respirator and gloves.
Tulipwood in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Tulipwood 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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