Ebony tree: photo, color. The fruit of an ebony tree. Ebony wood products. Ebony (ebony)

1. Ebony or ebony belongs to the genus tropical trees Persimmon (Diospyros). This tree grows in tropical forests India, Africa, South Asia.

2. Eben, as it is also called, refers to valuable wood species.

3. It grows very slowly, due to which the wood acquires a significant density - up to 1300g / m3. Due to the increased density, it sinks in water.

4. Contains essential oils and is therefore resistant to negative influences external environment: humidity, high temperature, does not rot.

5. In terms of hardness and strength, ebony wood is 2 times higher than oak wood.

6. Ebony wood dust can irritate the skin, lungs and eyes of a person.

7. Of the 103 types of ebony, several main ones can be distinguished:

Cameroon ebony- perhaps the most common variety of ebony. Characteristic black color.

- unlike the previous one, a very rare variety of ebony. Moonlight ebony is the only wood with light tones and a beautiful texture. It grows in the Philippines and in the forests of Myanmar. Prohibited for felling and export. Exclusive billiard cues, decorative furniture, souvenirs and inlays are made from moon ebony. Products from this breed are very expensive.

- dark brown wood with small pores. Resistant to moisture.

- sometimes called "colored" ebony, because it has a black heartwood with a pattern of light yellow and brown stripes, and sapwood is yellowish white. The wood of Sinamakassar ebony is quite resistant and dense.

- This tree grows in Vietnam and Laos. The coloring resembles Macassar ebony.

- also called "black ebony". Wood exceeds oak in hardness by 2 times. The surface is perfectly polished and becomes perfectly smooth.

8. Drying ebony wood is a very laborious process. Therefore, beforehand, in order to stop the growth of trees, they cut the trunk in a circle.

9. Eben is widely used in furniture making, musical instruments. Figurines and souvenirs are expensive and considered collectible.

Everything black, to one degree or another, is surrounded by a halo of mysticism. And the figurines carved from ebony, have long been used in black magic. For some, this tree served as a source of energy, a talisman, it was used healing properties, it brought death to someone. And in Tanzania, ebony is national symbol, emblem of the country. Total and do not list.

Ebony from time immemorial to the present day

Many names of ebony sometimes characterize directly opposite qualities. For example, you can hear such - mugembe, mpingo, ebony, mukelete, "zebra tree" and "music tree". But not all of them are species names of ebony, only some reveal the properties of this wood, and some endow this special tree with mystical qualities.

An ebony tree is a black (or black with stripes) wood of some trees of the genus Persimmon (Diospyros) of the ebony family (Ebenaceae). Heartwood without visible growth rings is very hard and heavy and is one of the most valuable tree species. The yellow-gray sapwood, which is removed from the tree immediately after felling, can occupy up to 70% of the trunk and is never sold because it is considered ugly. The density of ebony is 1050 kg/m3 at 15% humidity. This means that this wood sinks in water.

Man has been interested in the ebony for a long time, which is probably why many of the most incredible beliefs and legends are associated with it. For example, Pausanias, an ancient Greek scientist, wrote that the ebony tree is devoid of leaves and does not bear fruit, but the Ethiopians dig up its roots and use it for making potions and in everyday life.

And today, according to the data, the roots of the tree also apply for the most part in decoctions that help with hernias and relieve abdominal pain. Not only the roots, but also the bark of the trunk is considered to be an effective remedy for diarrhea. And from headaches and bronchitis, smoke from burning ebony roots helps well.

Since ancient times, people believed that the energy emitted by a tree must be able to control, as well as calorific features, since kitchen utensils melted on fire when burning ebony, its heat transfer is so great. In African tribes, charcoal was made from it, and animals drew strength and energy from it, eating pods and leaves.

The Egyptians have been familiar with ebony since the time of the pharaohs, as evidenced by the finds in the tomb of Tutankhamen. This is also confirmed by the tree itself and clay tablets with customs declarations permitting the export of ebony from East Africa to Egypt, found on one of the sunken galleys in the eastern part mediterranean sea. Wood is very hard and dense (1200 kg/m3), so it sinks in water.

An interesting fact is that people believed that ebony talismans, endowed with a mystical color, gave their owners strength and courage.

The undeniable advantages of ebony

Among dealers in exotic woods, there is a fair amount of confusion in the identification and names of wood. In the distant past, experienced craftsmen determined wood to the eye and to the touch in color, texture and density, rarely making mistakes because a small number of domestic and foreign tree species were used. But when the timber of numerous tropical species from Asia, America and Africa, errors in identification became inevitable, especially in color, which is often similar in wood from different genera and families. Hence the confusion with red and ebony.

Ebony- this is the common commercial name for the wood of some trees belonging to different families (ebony, acacia, legumes, etc.). The color of the wood of these species is usually dark or black. It is due to microbiological processes occurring in living wood, as well as the color of the resin, characteristic of each species. In addition to the color of the core wood, these species are united by others. general properties: high density and hardness, resistance to biological damage.

The value of ebony lies not only in the unusual structure and color, high strength wood it is also not subject to biological influences, in whatever forms they manifest themselves. Even the ubiquitous termites do not favor him.

The tree is easily polished, its ideally smooth surface after machining becomes almost a mirror. This is unusual tree in terms of its weight and texture, after polishing, it is more like metal, cold to the touch, than “warm” wood.

Ebony has a high density and repels water. These properties of ebony wood are the best suited for the manufacture of high-quality musical instruments. Keys for pianos and grand pianos, shells, handles and fingerboards for guitars, wind instruments - flutes, oboes, clarinets - are made of ebony. Professional guitarists, for example, especially appreciate the fact that the center of gravity shifts to the fretboard made of ebony, and the high-quality polished carapace from it from the plectrum that has jumped off the strings does not give any overtones. And besides, the fretboard perfectly holds the fret plates and almost does not wear out.

Have you ever seen chess handmade? Black figures in such exclusive sets are, of course, made of ebony, which is also widely used in the production of knife handles and souvenirs.

Carved furniture is another area of application for ebony. Already at the dawn of the 17th century, veneering and inlays were made in the manufacture of furniture. And this continued until import tariffs were reduced (1733), and mahogany, although not so exotic, supplanted black splendor almost everywhere. Only from the 19th century did interest in ebony again arise, curule chairs became fashionable, as an imitation of Greek, Roman and Egyptian furniture. Their grace and outward fragility were deceptive; in fact, such furniture was distinguished by a noble appearance and amazing strength. Ebony is still used frequently today.

But ebony was also often forged, as happened with mahogany and other materials. Taking the product in your hands, you will feel its weight and immediately determine the truth, even small ebony objects are quite weighty. And the reason for the flourishing of such a business with imitations can be understood, because attention to African art has never weakened.

Most famous designers and artists used expression and expressive ethnic plasticity, creating sculptures and paintings in the traditional "African" style. So it was and continues to be.

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In gardens and home gardens, you can choose a warmer place for planting grapes, for example, on the sunny side of the house, garden pavilion, veranda. It is recommended to plant grapes along the border of the site. The vines formed in one line will not take up much space and at the same time will be well lit from all sides. Near buildings, grapes should be placed so that water flowing from the roofs does not fall on it. On level ground, it is necessary to make ridges with good drainage due to drainage furrows. Some gardeners, according to the experience of their colleagues from western regions countries are digging deep planting holes and filling them with organic manure and fertilized soil. Pits dug in waterproof clay are a kind of closed vessel, which during the period monsoon rains filled with water. In fertile land root system grapes develop well at first, but as soon as waterlogging begins, it suffocates. Deep pits can play a positive role in soils where good natural drainage is provided, the subsoil is permeable, or reclamation artificial drainage is possible. planting grapes

You can quickly restore an obsolete grape bush by layering (“katavlak”). To this end, healthy vines of a neighboring bush are placed in grooves dug to the place where the dead bush used to grow, and sprinkled with earth. The top is brought to the surface, from which a new bush then grows. Lignified vines are laid on layering in spring, and green ones in July. They are not separated from the mother bush for two to three years. A frozen or very old bush can be restored by short pruning to healthy above-ground parts or pruning to the “black head” of an underground trunk. In the latter case, the underground trunk is freed from the ground and completely cut down. Not far from the surface, new shoots grow from dormant buds, due to which a new bush is formed. Grape bushes that have been neglected and severely damaged by frost are restored due to stronger fatty shoots formed in the lower part of the old wood and the removal of weakened sleeves. But before removing the sleeve, they form a replacement for it. Grape care

A gardener starting to grow grapes needs to study well the structure of the vine and the biology of this most interesting plant. Grapes belong to liana (climbing) plants, it needs support. But it can creep along the ground and take root, as is observed in Amur grapes in a wild state. The roots and the aerial part of the stem grow rapidly, branch strongly and reach large sizes. Under natural conditions, without human intervention, a branched grape bush grows with many vines of various orders, which comes into fruiting late and yields irregularly. In culture, the grapes are formed, give the bushes a form that is convenient for care, providing a high yield of high-quality clusters. Planting lemongrass

Chinese lemongrass, or schizandra, has several names - lemon tree, red grape, gomisha (Japanese), cochinta, kojianta (Nanai), kolchita (Ulchi), usimtya (Udege), uchampu (Oroch). In terms of structure, systemic relationship, center of origin and distribution, Schisandra chinensis has nothing to do with the real citrus plant lemon, but all its organs (roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, berries) exude the aroma of lemon, hence the name Schisandra. Lemongrass clinging or wrapping around a support, along with Amur grapes, three types of actinidia, is an original plant of the Far Eastern taiga. Its fruits, like a real lemon, are too acidic for fresh consumption, but they have medicinal properties, pleasant aroma, and this attracted to him great attention. The taste of Schisandra chinensis berries improves somewhat after frost. Local hunters who consume such fruits claim that they relieve fatigue, invigorate the body and improve eyesight. In the consolidated Chinese pharmacopoeia, compiled back in 1596, it says: "Chinese lemongrass fruit has five tastes, classified in the first category of medicinal substances. The pulp of lemongrass is sour and sweet, the seeds are bitter-astringent, and in general the taste of the fruit is salty. Thus, It contains all five tastes. Grow lemongrass

The concept of "Ebony" unites different breeds with black wood. The most famous are the Ceylon ebony, which grows in India, Sri Lanka, and the African ebony, which grows in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Zaire.

Among dealers in exotic woods, there is a fair amount of confusion in the identification and names of wood. In the distant past, experienced craftsmen determined wood by eye and touch by color, texture and density, rarely making mistakes because a small number of domestic and foreign tree species were used. But when wood of numerous tropical species from Asia, America and Africa began to be imported into Europe, errors in the definition became inevitable, especially in color, which is often similar in wood of different genera and families. Hence the confusion with red and ebony.

Nevertheless, ebony is a common commercial name for the wood of some trees belonging to different families (ebony, acacia, legumes, etc.). The color of wood in these species is usually dark or black. It is due to microbiological processes occurring in living wood, as well as the color of the resin, characteristic of each species. In addition to the color of the core wood, these species also have other common properties: high density and hardness, resistance to biological damage.

Ebony- hearty scattered vascular hardwood with narrow white sapwood. The core is glossy black, the annual layers are invisible, the core rays are narrow, not visible on any section. The vessels are small, collected in radial groups of 2-3 together; the cavities of the vessels and fibers of the libriform are often filled with accumulations of black nuclei. The density of dry wood of the first of these botanical species 1190 kg/m3, the second - 1030 kg/m3. The sapwood is narrow, sharply contrasting in color with the heartwood. Caucasian persimmon and some other species are sapwood, in which ripe wood and sapwood do not differ in color.

Ebony varieties:

Cameroon ebony(Diospyros crassiflora) comes from Africa and is the most common variety of ebony on the market, usually deep black or veined with gray. It is characterized by pronounced open pores, as a result of which it is valued significantly lower than other, finely porous varieties.

Ceylon ebony(Diospyros ebenum), which is now almost impossible to obtain, has the most the best quality: very hard, good polishability, practically no visible pores, good machinability, resistant to termites and water. In the 16th-19th centuries, it was from this variety of ebony that the best furniture was made.

Madagascar ebony(Diospyros perrieri) has a dark brown color, very fine pores, is resistant to termites and water, its density is about 1000 kg/m³.

Macassar ebony(Diospyros celebica) (Indonesia) is considered a "coloured" ebony, its sapwood is yellowish white and its heartwood is black with a very characteristic pattern of light yellow and brown stripes; very dense and persistent, its dust causes irritation to the skin, eyes and lungs (the dust of other ebony too). Density ranges from 1100 to 1300 kg/m³.

moon ebony(Diospyros mun) comes from Laos and Vietnam and is similar in coloration to Macassar ebony.

The sapwood of an ebony tree is white, yellowish-white, beige, darkening under the influence of the sun and air. Caucasian persimmon has gray to dark gray wood. y core different types and even individual representatives of the species has a different color. Individual trees produce jet black wood (D. dendo) or with a brownish, sometimes purple tint (other species) without noticeable, lighter stripes. However, these species often have a core with brown and dark brown sexes. It has been noticed that the older the wood of these species, the closer it is to black, the less visible the stripes.

Macassar, or ebony South-East Asia, has a core with black brown, red-brown, sometimes beige stripes.

The wood of all tropical species has a natural luster, most often matte, and only in some species (D. Dendj and D. Discolor) - metallic.

The fibers of the ebony core are straight, sometimes twisted or wavy. The texture is rich (especially in species with a striated nucleus) and even. The texture of some species (especially D. discolor) resembles marble.

Ebony wood is very dense and heavy. Only backout and some types of rosewood have a higher density. The density of wood of almost all types of ebony is in the range from 900 to 1100 kg / m3 (at a moisture content of 12%). The densest - Ceylon ebony - 1190 kg / m3.

The mechanical properties of ebony wood are very high. Flexural strength for basic African and Indian species has a value of 180 to 190 MPa. The hardness is more than 2 times higher than that of oak. Ebony wood resists shock loads well.

Ebony wood is very difficult to dry. In countries where this wood is harvested, preliminary (two years before harvesting) cutting of trees is still used. It lies in the fact that at the base of the trunk, layers of cambium (sapwood) are cut in a circle in a circle to stop the growth of the tree. After harvesting and sawing, the boards are stacked, the ends are covered with lime or other material and carefully sheltered from the sun and strong drafts in order to avoid the wood drying out too quickly. Drying time is at least 6 months. In case of violation of the drying regimes, warping of the boards and intensive formation of cracks occur. Ebony wood dries out a little.

All types of ebony are difficult to cut due to their high density and the presence of mineral inclusions in the wood. Thereby cutting edges tools become dull quickly. Workpieces having wavy fibers are especially difficult to process. In addition, ebony, especially Macassar, has a tendency to chip. Works well on lathes. If you need to use nails or screws, you must first drill the blanks. Ebony wood is polished to a mirror finish.

The bonding ability of different species is rated from good to satisfactory. Very poorly impregnated with various liquids. It has low hygroscopicity (high density and small vessels filled with nuclear substances) and, as a result, high stability (provided that drying is carried out correctly) under various conditions (in terms of temperature and humidity) - only blackwood and backout have the best performance.

The ability to bend (with pre-steaming) is rated as good, but after this operation, the heartwood becomes brittle.

Treated wood exhibits a very high resistance to damage by fungi and insects (even termites).

Ebony, in particular ebony, has been used by people since ancient times. It has always been greatly appreciated. It was mainly used for religious objects, sculpture and other crafts, musical instruments, and expensive furniture. It was believed that it successfully resists poisons, so dishes were made from it.

Now solid ebony is rarely used, mainly only for individual parts of very expensive furniture and musical instruments.

Products made of ebony wood (figurines, candlesticks, canes, vases and much more) are rightfully considered rare and valuable acquisitions, they become a real decoration of the house, occupy a worthy place in collections. And to become the owner of a piece of ebony furniture is a luxury that few can afford. Long years it was the privilege of the highest nobility.

Currently, sliced ebony veneer is used for furniture of musical instruments (eg guitars), inlays, marquetry, etc.

The trade name ebony, or ebony, combines all species of the botanical genus Diospyros predominantly with a black sound zone. Accordingly, D. ebenum (Ceylon ebony or ebony), as a more reliable source of ebony, has been called true ebony. However, there are other types, the wood of which can be completely black or only slightly streaked, or mottled with black, brown or gray strokes and stripes. Diospyros ebenum, Koenig, known as real, true ebony or ebony.

Other names

tendu, tuki, ebans.

Spreading

Sri Lanka and South India.

Wood

D. ebenum reaches its best development in Sri Lanka, where the diameter of the tree is usually about 0.75 m. In India, the diameter is usually 0.3 m or more. Benign straight part of the trunk 4.5 m long.

Wood

The sapwood is light yellowish gray. The core is glossy black, very rarely with a few light strokes. Wood with a metallic sheen and a fine, even texture. The fibers can be straight, somewhat disordered or wavy, the density of dry wood is about 1,190 kg/m³.

Drying

Usually, ebony is dried with great difficulty, since long, narrow and deep cracks are possible, especially in large assortments and blanks. The logs can be split freshly cut and then sawn to the minimum allowable size and stacked, shading them from the sun. Biological drying by banding is also possible 2 years before felling. In this case, the cut timber is stored in a shelter.

Fortitude

Black heartwood is very durable when the sapwood is removed.

Technological properties

Very difficult to hand and machine processing. Black wood is brittle and tends to split. Uneven or wavy fibers can pick up when planing, so cutting angles must be reduced to 20° to obtain a smooth surface. Good for turning. With careful finishing, it gives a shiny dense surface. Suitable for high quality polishing.

Application

Artistic and decorative crafts, parts of musical instruments (for example, piano keys, fingerboards, tailpieces and string instrument stands), turnery, knife handles, brush blocks, chopsticks, wood inlays and mosaics.

Ebony wood - its characteristics, the cost of wood, applications for interior decoration who have a refined taste.

For lovers of the very best, we present ebony wood. To admire the ebony "live" until the moment when the products made from its wood are in the house of their future owner, you will have to go to one of the countries of West Africa, or Southeast Asia, or India, and there it's a stone's throw to Sri Lanka.

Ebony wood in the interior will tell about the high status of its owner, his generosity and impeccable taste. For the owner himself, it will become a kind of amulet.

By the way, ebony of Sri Lankan origin (Ceylon ebony) is recognized as the most valuable tree species. In the meantime, the suitcases have not yet been packed, briefly about the reasons for the incredible price for cubic meter ebony tree.

ebony wood cost

Ebony wood is in demand and incredibly expensive, more precisely, the most expensive wood in the world. Now you can buy 1 cubic meter. ebony for $30,000, but the price rose to $100,000 per cubic meter. Eben is also called ebony because of the black color of the wood. Although ebony and other colors are found in nature, even white. The shade of wood is influenced by the chemical and biological processes that accompany the growth of the tree. The wood of moon ebony, saturated with minerals, is very beautiful - black with wide yellowish veins.

Characteristics of ebony

Ebony wood is characterized by high density and is one of the heaviest. It is difficult to process this breed manually. But the machines are doing great. Eben in the interior looks extremely noble and expensive. The polished product has a metallic sheen and will organically fit not only into a classic interior, but will also be very organic in a minimalist genre.

Hiding ebony under sheathing is not wise, not only because it is beautiful and expensive in itself, but also because the healing power of ebony will be largely lost. Since ancient times, the magical ability of ebony to charge a person with strength, energy and health has been known. It was believed, and many are still convinced today, that ebony cures sexual impotence and is an effective antidote.

Ebony Applications

Eben has never been a widely used wood, and was not cheap. In ancient times, ebony was valued so highly that its value was equated to gold. Decor items and furniture made of ebony were preferred by Egyptian pharaohs, Roman patricians. Over time, ebony conquered the palaces of England, France, Spain, and during the time of Peter the Great reached Russia. As time went. The demand for ebony increased. But it was not easy to restore and maintain the ebony population at the required level. So in 1994, the ebony tree was in the Red Book.