Faveira
Scientific name: Parkia pendula
Overview
Faveira is a large tropical hardwood native to northern South America and portions of the Amazon Basin. Parkia pendula belongs to the Fabaceae family and occurs in humid tropical forests of Brazil and neighboring regions of northern South America.
The wood generally ranges from pale yellowish brown and golden brown to light reddish brown, with relatively pale sapwood. Grain is typically straight to interlocked, while texture ranges from medium to coarse. The wood is moderately lightweight compared with many of the exceptionally dense hardwoods associated with the Amazon.
Faveira is used regionally for furniture, interior joinery, plywood, veneer, boxes, general construction, and utility woodworking. Its large tree size can provide substantial timber, while its membership in the distinctive Parkia genus makes it particularly useful for botanical and wood collections.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Faveira
- Alternate Common Names: Fava, Faveira-Bolota
- Scientific Name: Parkia pendula
- Region: South American Woods
- Tree Size: Approximately 80–130 ft (24–40 m) tall, with large mature trees capable of developing substantial trunk diameters
- Average Dried Weight: Approximately 35–45 lbs/ft³ (560–720 kg/m³), with natural variation
- Janka Hardness: Reliable standardized species-specific values are not consistently documented
- Grain: Straight to interlocked
- Texture: Medium to coarse
Identification Characteristics
Faveira generally produces pale yellowish-brown to golden-brown heartwood, sometimes developing light reddish or warmer brown tones as the wood ages.
Sapwood is typically cream to pale yellow and may show only moderate contrast with lighter heartwood.
Grain is generally straight but can become interlocked or irregular. Interlocked sections may produce subtle ribbon figure, particularly when quarter-sawn.
Key identification traits include:
- Pale yellowish to golden-brown heartwood
- Occasional light reddish-brown tones
- Cream to pale yellow sapwood
- Straight to interlocked grain
- Medium to coarse texture
- Relatively uniform coloration
- Moderate natural luster
Working Properties
Faveira generally machines more easily than many of the exceptionally hard and dense Amazonian hardwoods.
Straight-grained material can cut and plane cleanly with sharp tools. Interlocked sections require greater care because reversing fibers can produce localized tear-out.
The wood generally sands and glues satisfactorily and can accept a variety of finishes.
- Machines reasonably well
- Moderate cutting resistance
- Interlocked grain may produce tear-out
- Turns reasonably well
- Sands effectively
- Glues satisfactorily
- Accepts paints and clear finishes
Safety Note
Detailed species-specific information concerning reactions to Faveira wood dust is limited. Wood dust generated during sawing, routing, turning, and sanding may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation.
Appropriate dust collection, eye protection, and respiratory protection are recommended during woodworking operations.
Common Uses
Its moderate weight, useful strength, and general workability make Faveira suitable for applications including:
- Furniture
- Interior joinery
- Plywood
- Veneer
- Boxes and crates
- Paneling
- General construction
- Utility woodworking
- Carpentry
- Collector specimens
Sustainability & Notes
Faveira occurs within tropical forests of northern South America, including portions of the Amazon Basin and Atlantic forest regions.
Large tropical forest trees such as Parkia pendula contribute substantially more than timber. Their crowns, flowers, fruits, and seeds form components of complex forest ecosystems and provide resources for numerous animals.
Sustainable use depends on responsible forest management, legal harvesting, maintenance of natural regeneration, and preservation of surrounding forest habitat.
Because Faveira is not among the most internationally familiar Amazonian woods, traceable sourcing and scientific identification are particularly useful when documenting timber.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Pashaco – Another South American Parkia species and the strongest botanical comparison for examining differences within this tropical genus.
Parica – A relatively lightweight Amazonian timber used for plywood and other manufactured wood products, providing a useful comparison in industrial applications.
Marupa – A pale, workable South American hardwood useful for comparing lightweight tropical timbers used for furniture, interior woodworking, and utility applications.
Related Guides
Hardwood vs. Softwood: Key Differences Explained
Learn why relatively lightweight woods such as Faveira are still botanically classified as hardwoods and how hardwood and softwood classifications actually work.
How to Identify Wood by End Grain Patterns
Learn how pores, rays, growth boundaries, vessel arrangement, and other anatomical characteristics can help identify unfamiliar hardwoods.
Plantation vs. Wild-Harvested Hardwoods
Explore how timber origin, forest management, growth conditions, harvesting practices, and regeneration influence sourcing and sustainability.
Labeling and Cataloging Wood Samples
Learn how to document scientific names, geographic origin, acquisition information, specimen dimensions, and provenance in a wood collection.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
Faveira is particularly interesting for collectors because its pale to golden coloration and moderate weight represent a different side of Amazonian wood diversity than the dark, extremely dense hardwoods often associated with the region.
Authenticated specimens are particularly useful when geographic provenance is known, since Parkia contains multiple tropical species whose woods can be difficult to distinguish visually.
Collector specimens should retain the scientific name Parkia pendula, geographic origin, acquisition date, source, and any available identification documentation.
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When submitting photos, please include the common name, scientific name (if known), a brief description, and any information you would like us to share with the image.
Wood Sample Collection
This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.
Learn more about contributing to the collection:
Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
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Availability & Where to Buy
Exotic hardwood availability can vary significantly depending on region, sustainability regulations, and supplier inventory.
As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.
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