Jatobá-do-Cerrado
Scientific name: Hymenaea stigonocarpa
Overview
Jatobá-do-Cerrado is a tropical hardwood native to central South America and particularly associated with the Cerrado savannas and woodlands of Brazil. Hymenaea stigonocarpa belongs to the Fabaceae family and is related to the better-known Jatoba, Hymenaea courbaril.
The heartwood generally ranges from golden brown and orange-brown to reddish brown, becoming deeper and richer with age and exposure. Sapwood is considerably lighter and normally contrasts clearly with the mature heartwood. Grain is generally straight to interlocked, while texture ranges from medium to moderately coarse.
The wood is hard, heavy, and strong, making it suitable for furniture, flooring, construction, interior joinery, turning, and other applications requiring durable material. The tree is also important beyond timber production because its fruits are used locally and provide food for wildlife.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Jatobá-do-Cerrado
- Alternate Common Names: Cerrado Jatoba, Jatobá-do-Campo
- Scientific Name: Hymenaea stigonocarpa
- Region: South American Woods
- Tree Size: Approximately 20–50 ft (6–15 m) tall, occasionally larger depending on habitat
- Average Dried Weight: Approximately 50–60 lbs/ft³ (800–960 kg/m³), with natural variation
- Janka Hardness: Reliable standardized species-specific values are not consistently documented
- Grain: Straight to interlocked
- Texture: Medium to moderately coarse
Identification Characteristics
Jatobá-do-Cerrado generally produces golden-brown, orange-brown, or reddish-brown heartwood. Fresh surfaces can appear lighter and warmer, while exposure to light and oxygen can gradually deepen the wood toward richer reddish and darker brown tones.
Sapwood is generally cream to pale yellowish brown and contrasts noticeably with mature heartwood.
Grain is commonly straight but can become interlocked or irregular. Interlocked sections may produce subtle ribbon-like figure when quarter-sawn.
Key identification traits include:
- Golden to reddish-brown heartwood
- Color deepens with age and exposure
- Pale cream to yellowish sapwood
- Strong heartwood and sapwood contrast
- Straight to interlocked grain
- Medium to moderately coarse texture
- Moderate natural luster
Working Properties
Jatobá-do-Cerrado is a hard and relatively dense wood, producing greater cutting resistance than lighter furniture woods.
Sharp tools are recommended, particularly when machining interlocked grain. Reversing fibers can cause tear-out during planing, while the wood’s density can increase tool wear.
Properly surfaced material can sand and polish to an attractive finish.
- Moderate to high cutting resistance
- Sharp tools are recommended
- Interlocked grain can cause tear-out
- Turns well with appropriate tooling
- Sands to a smooth surface
- Can develop an attractive polished surface
- Pre-drilling is recommended for fasteners
Safety Note
Detailed species-specific information regarding reactions to Jatobá-do-Cerrado wood dust is limited. Dust generated when machining dense tropical hardwoods may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation.
Effective dust collection, eye protection, and respiratory protection are recommended during sawing, routing, turning, and sanding.
Common Uses
Its hardness, strength, rich coloration, and wear resistance make Jatobá-do-Cerrado suitable for applications including:
- Furniture
- Flooring
- Cabinetry
- Interior joinery
- Construction
- Wood turning
- Carving
- Decorative woodworking
- Heavy-duty utility work
- Collector specimens
Sustainability & Notes
Jatobá-do-Cerrado is strongly associated with the Cerrado, the extensive tropical savanna and woodland ecosystem of central South America.
Unlike species primarily associated with dense Amazonian rainforest, Hymenaea stigonocarpa is adapted to the seasonal conditions characteristic of Cerrado landscapes.
The Cerrado has experienced extensive conversion for agriculture, ranching, and other land uses. Conservation of remaining native vegetation is therefore important for protecting its exceptional plant and animal diversity.
The tree also has value beyond lumber. Its fruits and seeds contribute to local food traditions and provide resources for wildlife, allowing standing trees to have ecological and economic importance without being harvested for timber.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Jatoba – The better-known Hymenaea courbaril, a large tropical forest hardwood widely used for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and other demanding applications.
Baru – Another dense hardwood strongly associated with the Cerrado and valued for both useful timber and edible seeds.
Cumaru – A very dense South American hardwood valued for flooring, decking, exterior construction, and applications requiring exceptional wear resistance.
Related Guides
Color Changes in Tropical Hardwoods Over Time
Learn how exposure to oxygen and ultraviolet light can gradually alter the golden, orange, red, purple, and brown colors found in tropical hardwoods.
Preventing Tear-Out in Interlocked Grain
Explore techniques for obtaining cleaner surfaces when planing, routing, and machining wood with reversing or interlocked fibers.
Best Woods for Wood Flooring
Compare flooring species based on hardness, wear resistance, dimensional stability, appearance, and long-term performance.
Understanding Wood Strength: What Makes Wood Strong?
Learn how density, cellular structure, grain orientation, moisture content, and other characteristics influence mechanical performance.
Drying & Acclimating Exotic Woods
Learn how controlled drying and proper acclimation help reduce checking, distortion, movement, and moisture-related problems before woodworking.
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
Jatobá-do-Cerrado is particularly interesting for collectors because it represents the distinctive woody flora of the Cerrado rather than the rainforest environments more commonly associated with South American exotic hardwoods.
Its rich coloration, relatively high density, and botanical identity make an authenticated sample worthwhile even when the specimen lacks dramatic figure.
Geographic provenance is especially valuable. Collector specimens should retain the scientific name Hymenaea stigonocarpa, geographic origin, acquisition date, supplier or donor, and any available sourcing documentation.
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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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