Ko’u

Description

Ko’u just might be the rarest wood we work with. I stumbled across it by accident when one of my suppliers obtained a blown down tree from Hawaii where this tree grows indigenously. Ko’u was used by the Hawaiian Royalty for plates, bowls, spoons, and other utensils as it does not impart nor take on a flavor from food. (I licked it. It really doesn’t taste like anything.)

In the late 1800’s the Ko’u tree was nearly wiped out by a moth infestation. It is now grown as an ornamental tree in landscaping and is not commercially harvested. Ko’u is an easy to work wood that has an iridescent brown color with a creamy yellow sap wood and can be finished with an insane polish for such a soft rich wood.