Wood ID, Please: Coffee-n-Cream, North Texas Area

[Jeff Wayne]

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Sources consulted include The Wood Database, Texas A&M, and a seller of area woods, but so far, the match has not been made or has just been overlooked. Could well be something very common, little regarded, and seldom used. The coffee-and-cream coloration is attractive to me, so I'd like to know what the source tree is as well as confirm any particular dust toxicity.


Part wet, part not.


Natural light


Bark shown


Natural light


Location the pieces were found is a mostly-sunny, roadside ditch in north-central Texas. Leaves were not present/not noted.

Density calculates to be around 43 pounds per cubic foot based on a sample (moisture content unknown) that has been drying for nine or so months.

No aroma is detectable.

Doesn't seem to match any of the usual local suspects I'm familiar with: Eastern redcedar, hackberry, mesquite, Osage orange, or pecan.

Thanks for any insight.

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[Bob Holcombe]

I would guess Ailanthus.

[Dennis Ford]

It looks like Mimosa to me. If so the dust can be quite irritating, it is the only wood that I will not turn. Mimosa can be very pretty.

[Reed Gray]

I was thinking mimosa/silk tree. The bark looks right. It makes me sneeze and I won't turn it any more. Legume/long seed pods.

robo hippy

[Jim Underwood]

I guess mimosa also. I haven't seen it with dark streaks in it, but it otherwise looks similar. It is a very stable wood which turns and finishes well. It is also rather attractive.

[Jeff Wayne]

Thanks for helping narrow the search. Both guesses seem reasonable, and both species show up in force on invasive.org. Bark and wood seem to match up well as mimosa . . . which can be hypnotically beautiful, I think. Look what contributor Bob Rotche did with it in the thread, "Rinehart Mimosa".

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Bob Rotche

[robert baccus]

Mimosa for sure. Member of the acacia family and a horticulture escapee. One of the prettiest woods in the south to me. I've done 2-3 dozen pieces--mostly vases. The larger the tree the more dark heart and beauty. Mimosa seems to have no intention to warp--like mesquite. Caution--turn it green to almost final dimentions. Cuts great green but horrible when dry. ***One of the worst woods for your health when sanding. Take all precaution yeah. It will put you in bed for several days if you breathe the dust. E. Texas forester