The Exotic Umbrella Guide

What classifies as an exotic wood?

The term exotic wood is largely a matter of geography, generally referring to species that are not native to the country in which they are used, and often to those originating in tropical regions. What is considered exotic therefore varies from one part of the world to another, as does its rarity and desirability. Many exotic species are slow growing, producing exceptionally dense, hard timber with a close, distinctive grain. Some have such a high specific gravity that they will sink rather than float in water, while their naturally occurring oils can offer greater resistance to moisture, decay and rot.

It is their appearance that makes these woods particularly prized. Rich colours, unusual markings and individual grain patterns give each piece a character quite unlike more familiar timbers such as oak. Their rarity, together with strict regulations governing the trade of certain species, makes them increasingly precious and, when responsibly sourced, particularly special materials with which to work.

Tulipwood

Brazilian tulipwood is prized for its remarkable colour and finely figured grain. Its pale ground is swept with streaks of rose, red and orange, giving each piece a distinctive pattern. Despite its name, Brazilian tulipwood does not come from the tulip tree at all, but belongs to the Dalbergia family of rosewoods. Over the centuries it has acquired several suitably romantic names, including pinkwood and the French bois de rose, or “wood of rose”, inspired by its unusual colouring. 

Tulipwood has long been associated with beauty, affection and individuality. Its delicate colouring belies a remarkably dense timber, while the natural variation in its grain means that no two pieces are ever quite the same.

Rosewood

Rosewood has been prized for centuries for its rich colour, distinctive grain and density. Depending on species and growing conditions, it can range from warm reddish brown to deep purple and almost black, often with dramatic darker veining. Its natural oils offer resistance to moisture, decay and insects, while freshly worked rosewood can release the sweet, floral fragrance from which it is said to take its name.

Many species take decades, and sometimes well over a century, to reach maturity. Increasingly regulated and carefully sourced, rosewood remains a particularly precious material. It has long been associated with passion, strength and matters of the heart, as well as vulnerability, representing the idea that openness can itself require strength.

Ebony

Ebony has been prized since antiquity for its extraordinary density, depth of colour and ability to take an exceptionally fine polish. While perhaps best known for its near black appearance, ebony varies considerably between species. Dark ebony can range from deep brown to almost absolute black, while lighter varieties, such as Macassar ebony, reveal warm honey, reddish and golden brown tones streaked with dramatic darker grain.

The Ancient Egyptians were among the earliest civilisations known to have worked with ebony, importing it from further south in Africa for furniture, carvings and ceremonial objects. Macassar ebony takes its name from the port of Makassar on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, from where it was historically traded.

Its rarity and striking appearance have long given ebony associations with power, protection and prestige. In antiquity, it was even fashioned into drinking vessels in the belief that the wood could protect against or reveal poison. Its darkness has continued to capture the imagination in folklore and literature, perhaps most famously in Snow White, whose hair was described as “black as ebony”.

Olivewood

Olivewood is immediately recognisable for its creamy yellow brown tones and sweeping grain patterns of dark brown and black. Each section produces its own distinctive markings, giving the finished wood considerable character.

A defining feature of the Mediterranean landscape for thousands of years, some olive trees are believed to be well over a thousand years old, making the tree a natural symbol of longevity, resilience and wisdom. Its place in the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, where a dove returns carrying an olive leaf, also established the olive as a symbol of hope, peace and reconciliation.

Olivewood requires considerable patience to work. The timber must be carefully seasoned, sometimes for several years, and can retain a distinctive, gently fruity scent even after it has been worked.

Walnut

Walnut is known for its rich colouring, ranging from chocolate brown to warmer reddish and purplish tones, often marked by flowing grain and darker figuring. Strong without being excessively heavy, it has been valued by craftsmen for centuries for its stability, workability and ability to take a beautiful polish.

The walnut has a history stretching back to the ancient world. The Romans knew it as Jovis glans, meaning the nut of Jupiter, while associations with wisdom have also connected it with Athena. Highly prized through the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, it was sometimes known as the “royal nut”. Its timber became equally desirable for fine furniture, cabinetry and carving, where its strength allows for considerable precision. These associations have given walnut its symbolism of intelligence, wisdom and focus.

Acajou Mahogany

Acajou mahogany is known for its warm reddish brown colouring, which becomes richer and deeper with age. Its typically straight or gently interlocked grain takes a fine polish, revealing greater depth in the finished timber.

Acajou is a French term traditionally used for mahogany and related timbers, and in the decorative arts has been used in reference to African mahogany, distinguishing it from mahoganies originating in the Americas. African mahogany comes from tall evergreen trees of the Khaya genus.

Mahogany became particularly prominent in European furniture making from the eighteenth century onwards. Its strength, workability and rich colour made it a favourite of cabinetmakers, particularly in Britain and France. Its combination of solidity and warmth has also given the wood associations with strength and comfort.