Yemane
Scientific name: Gmelina arborea
Overview
Yemane is a fast-growing tropical hardwood native to South and Southeast Asia, including India, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The wood is widely valued for its lightweight structure, stability, and ease of machining, making it popular for furniture, cabinetry, carving, plywood, and general woodworking applications. Because of its rapid growth and plantation potential, Yemane has also become an important commercial forestry species in tropical regions around the world.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Yemane
- Scientific Name: Gmelina arborea
- Region: Asian Hardwoods
- Tree Size: 60–100 ft tall, 2–4 ft trunk diameter
- Average Dried Weight: 32 lbs/ft³ (515 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: 750 lbf
- Color: Pale yellow to golden brown
- Grain: Straight to slightly irregular
- Texture: Medium
Identification Characteristics
Yemane is recognized for its pale yellow to golden-brown coloration and relatively straight grain structure. The wood often develops a smooth surface when machined and may display mild natural luster after finishing.
Key identification traits include:
- Pale yellow to golden-brown coloration
- Straight to slightly irregular grain
- Medium texture
- Lightweight and stable structure
Working Properties
Yemane is considered easy to work with using both hand and machine tools. The wood cuts cleanly, sands smoothly, and responds well to gluing and finishing operations.
- Easy to machine and carve
- Good dimensional stability
- Accepts stains and finishes well
- Lightweight and workable
Safety Note
Wood dust may cause mild skin or respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals. Proper dust collection and respiratory protection are recommended during woodworking operations.
Common Uses
Yemane is commonly used in decorative, utility, and commercial woodworking applications.
- Furniture
- Cabinetry
- Carving
- Plywood
- Interior millwork
- Musical instrument components
Sustainability & Notes
Yemane is widely planted in tropical forestry operations because of its rapid growth and commercial usefulness. Plantation-grown material is commonly available in many regions.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Canary Whitewood – Another lightweight tropical hardwood valued for workability and construction use.
Paulownia – A lightweight Asian wood commonly used in cabinetry and specialty woodworking.
Chinese Catalpa – A pale-colored Asian hardwood used for furniture and carving applications.
Related Guides
Plantation vs Wild-Harvested Hardwood – Explains the differences between plantation-grown lumber and naturally harvested tropical hardwoods.
Best Woods for Furniture Making – Covers the characteristics that make woods suitable for cabinetry and furniture construction.
Drying & Acclimating Exotic Woods – Explains how lightweight tropical hardwoods should be stabilized before woodworking use.
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
Yemane is valued more for its importance in plantation forestry and practical woodworking than for dramatic figure or rarity. Well-prepared samples are useful in educational collections comparing lightweight tropical hardwoods and sustainable forestry species.
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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Through the Adopt a Species program, visitors can help support ongoing species research, educational content, photography, video production, and future conservation awareness initiatives.
Contributions help fund the continued expansion of this archive while promoting sustainable forestry education and the long-term appreciation of the world’s forests.
Interested in supporting this species? Visit our Adopt a Species and Conservation Partners pages to learn more.
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:
• Woodworking: The Complete Step-by-Step Manual for learning woodworking techniques, joinery, finishing, and step-by-step projects
https://amzn.to/4v1EYSZ
• Woodworking Apron for Men with 9 Tool Pockets for keeping tools organized and protecting clothing during woodworking, carving, turning, and shop work
https://amzn.to/43SZ9rt
• XFasten Double-Sided Woodworking Tape (3-Pack) for securing templates, workpieces, and patterns during routing, CNC work, edge banding, and other woodworking tasks
https://amzn.to/4xK5yTj
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