# red narra and padauk..??



## indonesianwood (Aug 27, 2013)

Need help someone here any one knows what the differnt between red narra and padauk.??
As long as I know its different by origin by its grow.
Indonesian and SE plantation called narra(P.indicus)
Africa plantation called padauk(P.sayouxi)
But I want to know the specific different between both wood.
And one more confusion why javanese plantation different with amboyna and sulawesi plantation?
Should it be different species??
Should be sulawesi and amboyna plantation is same species with padauk?

Thanks so much before :D


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## DKMD (Aug 27, 2013)

I'm no expert on this stuff, but both are names used for trees in the genus Pterocarpus. The narra seems to be consistently P. indicus while paduak seems to be a collection of different species in the same genus. Throw in the dozen or more 'common' names that seem to cross over, and it's a real mess.

I've never had the pleasure of working with narra lumber, but the burl form(amboyna) is a favorite both for appearance and smell. I've got some paduak 4/4 stuff that I bought from chitswood on eBay... It's a pretty orange, but I don't notice any smell associated with it.


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## Kevin (Aug 27, 2013)

Padauk and narra and amboyna (narra burl as mentioned) look altogether different from one another. Even some narra can look way different than other narra and not talking burl. As mentioned Padauk when frech cut has a distinct deep orangish color unlike any narra I have ever seen. But I have to say paduak does have a smell from my experience for sure. I cannot describe it right now because I haven't cut any in so long, but I will run a piece through the saw to refresh my memory and try to describe the smell for you. I will cut some narra also but I don't remember it smelling much if any. 

_"And one more confusion why javanese plantation different with amboyna and sulawesi plantation?
Should it be different species??"_

If I understand your question you're just asking if it's the same species called by different names? If that's the question I have no idea. But if you're asking if different species of amboyna grow there - I've only ever heard of one species of ambonya and it's burl wood form the narra tree. If there's more than one species of narra then there would be that many species of amboyna when in burl form.


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## indonesianwood (Aug 27, 2013)

DKMD said:


> I'm no expert on this stuff, but both are names used for trees in the genus Pterocarpus. The narra seems to be consistently P. indicus while paduak seems to be a collection of different species in the same genus. Throw in the dozen or more 'common' names that seem to cross over, and it's a real mess.
> 
> I've never had the pleasure of working with narra lumber, but the burl form(amboyna) is a favorite both for appearance and smell. I've got some paduak 4/4 stuff that I bought from chitswood on eBay... It's a pretty orange, but I don't notice any smell associated with it.


Is that's as orange as amboyna??
When I am searching in internet its look really similiar color between padauk and red narra(amboyna)
Amboyna and narra have very similiar smells (I like the smells I wish can find parfume like that's :D)


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## Kevin (Aug 27, 2013)

Arya I just looked at images online and they can look similar but I didn't see any fresh cut padauk; it has an orange unlike any color I have ever seen in wood. It certainly doesn't look like any of the narra I have cut but I'm referring to fresh cut.


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## indonesianwood (Aug 27, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Padauk and narra and amboyna (narra burl as mentioned) look altogether different from one another. Even some narra can look way different than other narra and not talking burl. As mentioned Padauk when frech cut has a distinct deep orangish color unlike any narra I have ever seen. But I have to say paduak does have a smell from my experience for sure. I cannot describe it right now because I haven't cut any in so long, but I will run a piece through the saw to refresh my memory and try to describe the smell for you. I will cut some narra also but I don't remember it smelling much if any.
> 
> _"And one more confusion why javanese plantation different with amboyna and sulawesi plantation?
> Should it be different species??"_
> ...


I mean why red narra and narra listed as same latin name as P.indicus kevin.
Its quite different in wood color.
[attachment=29868]

Above is narra sulawesi plantation 
It has red color and very nice smells
(Is that's look like padauk.?)

And below is narra too west java plantation
[attachment=29869]
Golden color with same nice smells
I've seen some burl that's coming from tree that's produce wood above
Maybe its called golden amboyna
My question is
Is land condition can change wood color extremely if its in same species?
From gold to red.?
Thanks all :drink


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## DKMD (Aug 27, 2013)

That lower pic looks like all sapwood, but I doubt it's that easy. It seems like the web sites I've seen have listed a large color variation for Pterocarpus species, so maybe it is related to growin conditions or possibly they are different cultivars.


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## Kevin (Aug 27, 2013)

Oh I understand your question now. It's because amboyna is no different from narra except in appearance. They come from the exact same tree. For example, plain old boxelder is acer negundo; flame boxelder is also acer negundo; boxelder burl is also acer negundo. All three, they look completely different but they are all from the same tree - acer negundo. Regular nara, beeswing narra, and amboyna all come from the very same tree.


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## Darkmoorwoods (Aug 27, 2013)

My Cobra's shift knob and eventually my instrument cluster insert will be padauk. It does often start out orangish but dries to a deep reddish brown with age and exposure to sun light


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Aug 27, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Oh I understand your question now. It's because amboyna is no different from narra except in appearance. They come from the exact same tree. For example, plain old boxelder is acer negundo; flame boxelder is also acer negundo; boxelder burl is also acer negundo. All three, they look completely different but they are all from the same tree - acer negundo. Regular nara, beeswing narra, and amboyna all come from the very same tree.



Great Explaination Kevin! That was the one scenario I had been thinking while reading his thread but wasn't confident enough with the narra, amboyna to post what I was thinking.


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