Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa, D. tucurensis) comes to Europe in small quantities from Mexico and Nicaragua. The heartwood of this true rosewood is orange-red to dark brown with black veins running through it. The colors of Cocobolo can range a very wide spectrum from lemon yellow, yellow gray, orange, red to dark reddish brown with black or purple streaks. The clearly demarcated sapwood is pale yellow. The colors are distinctly lighter when freshly cut and darken with age; the wood slowly ages to a dark brown hue. The striking grain often resembles abstract patterns such as landscape paintings or spider webs, quite as a close relative, Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra). Despite its high density and hardness, cocobolo is easy to work with. The resulting dust can trigger allergic reactions in many people and cause skin irritation.
Cocobolo turns well and is a highly desirable luxury wood for fine furniture, musical instruments, walking sticks, handicrafts such as chess pieces, bangles and jewelry. The surfaces are dense and lustrous, very good polishes can be achieved.
