Kandis
Scientific name: Garcinia xanthochymus
Overview
Kandis (Garcinia xanthochymus) is a tropical hardwood native to South and Southeast Asia, where it occurs naturally from India and Sri Lanka through Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, southern China, and Indonesia. A member of the Clusiaceae family, the species is better known in many regions for its edible fruit, but its wood has also been utilized locally for furniture, interior construction, carving, and general woodworking.
The tree grows in tropical and subtropical forests, producing a moderately dense hardwood with a pale yellow to golden-brown heartwood. While Kandis has never achieved the international commercial recognition of Teak, Merbau, or Rosewood, it remains an interesting regional hardwood because of its balanced working properties and attractive appearance.
Freshly cut heartwood is pale yellow to light golden-brown and gradually deepens with age. The grain is generally straight to slightly interlocked with a fine, even texture that machines and finishes well. Its moderate hardness and dimensional stability make it suitable for a variety of interior woodworking applications.
Within the Asian hardwood collection, Kandis represents a lesser-known tropical hardwood that highlights the remarkable diversity of timber-producing species found throughout Southeast Asia.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Kandis
- Scientific Name: Garcinia xanthochymus
- Region: Asian Hardwoods
- Native Range: India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Southern China, Indonesia
- Tree Size: 50–100 ft tall (15–30 m), 1–3 ft trunk diameter (0.3–0.9 m)
- Average Dried Weight: Approximately 37–43 lbs/ft³ (595–690 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: Approximately 1,150–1,350 lbf
- Color: Pale yellow to golden-brown, darkening slightly with age
- Grain: Usually straight, occasionally slightly interlocked
- Texture: Fine to medium
Identification Characteristics
Kandis is recognized by its pale yellow to golden-brown heartwood, relatively fine texture, and generally straight grain. The sapwood is light cream to pale yellow and blends gradually into the heartwood, producing a subtle transition rather than a sharply defined boundary.
The wood possesses a moderate natural luster and a smooth, uniform appearance. Growth rings are generally indistinct, while the fine texture allows the wood to produce attractive finished surfaces suitable for furniture and decorative woodworking.
Key identification traits include:
- Pale yellow to golden-brown heartwood
- Cream to pale yellow sapwood
- Straight to slightly interlocked grain
- Fine to medium texture
- Moderate natural luster
- Uniform appearance
- Smooth finished surface
- Good dimensional stability
Working Properties
Kandis is considered an easy hardwood to work with both hand and machine tools. The wood cuts, planes, drills, and shapes cleanly while producing smooth finished surfaces. It glues well, sands easily, and accepts stains and clear finishes without difficulty.
Although not intended for heavy structural applications, its balanced combination of workability and stability makes it well suited for furniture and interior woodworking.
- Machines easily
- Planes cleanly
- Turns well
- Sands smoothly
- Accepts glue readily
- Finishes well
- Good nail and screw holding
- Moderate dimensional stability
- Suitable for carving
Safety Note
Wood dust from Kandis may cause mild skin, eye, or respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals. Appropriate dust collection and respiratory protection are recommended during machining and sanding operations.
Common Uses
Kandis common uses include:
- Furniture
- Cabinetry
- Interior millwork
- Wood carving
- Decorative trim
- Paneling
- Small specialty items
- Turned objects
- Tool handles
- Utility woodworking
- Collector wood samples
- General interior construction
Sustainability & Notes
Garcinia xanthochymus is widely distributed throughout tropical Asia and is commonly cultivated for its edible fruit as well as its ornamental value. Because the species serves multiple purposes beyond timber production, it is often grown within agroforestry systems and mixed-use landscapes rather than being harvested exclusively from native forests.
While Kandis is not considered a major international timber species, responsible forestry practices and sustainable land management remain important to preserving native forest ecosystems throughout its range.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Mango – Another tropical fruit tree that also produces attractive hardwood suitable for furniture and woodworking.
Jackfruit – A moderately dense Asian hardwood known for its golden color and excellent carving characteristics.
Rubberwood – Another plantation-grown Asian hardwood valued for furniture manufacturing and interior woodworking.
Related Guides
Hardwood vs Softwood: Key Differences Explained – Understand the structural and botanical differences between hardwoods and softwoods.
Wood Movement and Seasonal Expansion Explained – Learn how moisture changes affect wood stability over time.
How to Start a Wood Collection – Explore tips for beginning a documented collection of wood species from around the world.
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
Kandis is an interesting addition to collections featuring lesser-known Asian hardwoods. Although better known in many regions for its edible fruit than its timber, the species provides collectors with an opportunity to document another useful hardwood from the diverse forests of tropical Asia.
Well-prepared samples display the wood’s pale golden color, fine texture, and smooth grain. Displayed alongside Mango, Jackfruit, Rubberwood, and Haldu, Kandis helps illustrate the diversity of medium-density hardwoods that support woodworking throughout Asia.
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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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