What Is Hawaiian Koa Wood

In hawaiian the word koa literally translates to warrior and the name comes from the wood s association with the warriors of kamehameha the great.

What is hawaiian koa wood.

Different parts of the island yields a distinctive hue to the color of the wood. Currently the wood we use at hawaiian accessories is from honakaa which has a dark red look. Visually koa has been compared to mahogany while in terms of working and mechanical properties it has been compared to walnut. Having purchased a hawaiian property known to have koa trees on it i eventually learned that koa is a species of tree that produces wood with a high monetary value and unique color and grain pattern.

I know of no other wood possessing the chatoyancy or range of colors of koa. Acacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the family fabaceae it is endemic to the hawaiian islands where it is the second most common tree. By state law you can not cut down live koa trees and there are just not enough of them on oahu for harvest. Koa is widely considered to be the most beautiful and useful of hawaii s native hardwoods and along with monkey pod and mango it is the most common hawaiian species to be imported into the lower 48 united states.

Thus the supply of koa wood depends significantly on storm frequency. Chris allen of koa wood hawaii in kurtistown hawaii cost of koa wood. At the low elevation the koa tends to be real blond and not have a lot of color or. Lightweight and buoyant koa was the perfect wood for kamehameha s warriors to make canoes as well as hand to hand combat weapons like the lei o mano made from a combination of.

Typically severe storms damage trees in the big island. Prior to moving to hawaii 5 years ago i had no idea what hawaiian koa was. If koa is quarter sawn 20 to 50 bf. The spirit of the volcano lives in this tree and radiates from the lumber.

Plain koa or koa that has no changes in color or figure can be purchased from 15 to 20 bf. The best koa acacia koa can be found specifically on higher elevations of the big island and take 50 to 70 years to mature. Sawyers cannot cut trees at will. The word koa means warrior in hawaiian.

However hawaiian legislation restricts koa harvesting. Rather only dead or dying trees may be processed. Koa wood is known for the. Koa has honored heritage in hawaii and is highly revered and sacred.

Koa wood is legendary in hawaii. This isn t just any tree but rather a special highly unique rare an. The highest populations are on hawaiʻi maui and oʻahu its name in the hawaiian language koa also means brave bold fearless or warrior. Koa may be the most spectacular hardwood in the world.

The warriors of king kamehameha the great cr.