Kosso
Scientific name: Pterocarpus erinaceus
Overview
Kosso is a dense African hardwood known for its warm reddish-brown color, fine texture, and musical-instrument relevance. Native to West Africa, it belongs to the Pterocarpus genus, placing it among woods often compared to rosewoods in appearance and tonal properties.
Kosso has long been used in furniture, flooring, and turned objects, but it is especially valued in instrument making, where stability and tonal consistency are important.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Kosso
- Scientific Name: Pterocarpus erinaceus
- Region: African Hardwoods (West Africa)
- Tree Size: 50–80 ft tall, 2–3 ft trunk diameter
- Average Dried Weight: 47 lbs/ft³ (755 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: 1,720 lbf
- Color: Yellowish brown to medium brown, sometimes with darker streaks
- Grain: Interlocked
- Texture: Medium to coarse
Identification Characteristics
Kosso is most easily identified by its rich reddish-brown coloration, fine texture, and noticeable weight. Some boards display subtle dark streaking, adding visual depth.
It may be visually confused with other Pterocarpus species, though Kosso typically presents a more uniform appearance.
Key identification traits include:
- Reddish to dark brown heartwood
- Fine, uniform texture
- Straight to mildly interlocked grain
- Dense, heavy feel
Working Properties
Kosso is considered moderately difficult to work due to its density, but it performs well with proper tooling.
- Machines cleanly with sharp tools
- Interlocked grain may cause minor tear-out
- Glues and finishes reliably
- Sands to a smooth surface
- Good dimensional stability when properly dried
Its combination of hardness and finish quality makes it suitable for precision work.
Safety Note
Dust from Kosso may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation in some individuals. Proper dust collection, eye protection, and respiratory protection are recommended during machining and sanding.
Common Uses
Kosso is commonly used in applications that benefit from strength and refined appearance, including:
- Musical instruments (especially fingerboards and components)
- Furniture and cabinetry
- Flooring
- Turned objects
- Decorative accents
Its tonal and stability characteristics make it particularly appealing to luthiers.
Sustainability & Notes
Kosso (Pterocarpus erinaceus) is listed under CITES Appendix II, meaning international trade is regulated to prevent overexploitation. Availability can be limited, and legal sourcing is critical.
Buyers should verify documentation and prioritize responsibly harvested material from reputable suppliers.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
African Padauk – A brightly colored African hardwood known for its orange-red tones and use in furniture, flooring, and decorative woodworking.
African Rosewood – A dense African hardwood valued for its strength and attractive reddish-brown color, often used in cabinetry and specialty woodworking.
Narra – A tropical hardwood from Southeast Asia with similar warm coloration and use in furniture and decorative woodworking.
Related Guides
How to Identify Exotic Hardwood by Grain Pattern
Studying grain structure and color variation helps distinguish decorative tropical hardwoods used in furniture and specialty woodworking.
Density & Hardness Explained (Janka Scale Guide)
Understanding hardness ratings helps explain the durability and working properties of hardwood species.
Understanding CITES & Protected Species
Some tropical hardwoods are protected or regulated due to conservation concerns and international trade restrictions.
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
Kosso is highly regarded by collectors for its color depth, density, and musical relevance. Well-seasoned boards often darken slightly and develop a richer, more uniform appearance over time.
Collectors typically favor straight-grained, defect-free stock for instrument and furniture use, while pieces showing subtle streaking or figure are often reserved for accent or decorative applications. Due to trade restrictions, documented provenance adds significant value to collectible material.
Share Your Photos of This Species
Do you have lumber, wood samples, tree photographs, woodworking projects, furniture, carvings, turnings, musical instruments, or other items made from this species?
Exotic Woods of the World welcomes photographs from woodworkers, collectors, sawyers, researchers, and wood enthusiasts around the world. Selected submissions may be featured on this page and throughout our website to help document and showcase real-world examples of this species.
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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Contributions help fund the continued expansion of this archive while promoting sustainable forestry education and the long-term appreciation of the world’s forests.
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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.
Lumber Suppliers:
Availability varies — see the Where to Buy Exotic Woods page for current sources.
Related Tools & Products:
• Small Woodworking Projects (Best of Fine Woodworking) for building boxes, stools, shop accessories, and other practical weekend woodworking projects
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• 80-Piece Threaded Insert Nuts and Furniture Screw Set for creating strong, reusable threaded connections in woodworking, furniture building, and shop projects
https://amzn.to/3SmACIO
• Power Tool Organizer with Charging Station for organizing cordless drills, batteries, chargers, and other power tools while keeping your workshop neat and efficient
https://amzn.to/4oU2XST
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