Mesquite

Color/Appearance: Heartwood tends to be a reddish brown, which darkens with age. Sapwood is yellow in color, and tends to be thin.

Grain/Texture: Honey Mesquite has a medium to coarse texture and open pores, with a slight natural luster. Clear portions of the trunk tend to have straight or wavy grain: though knots, defects, and other irregularities are common.

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous (or semi-ring-porous); large pores in no specific arrangement, few to moderately numerous; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; amber-colored deposits occasionally present; growth rings indistinct (or distinct due to marginal parenchyma); medium to large rays may be just barely visible without lens, normal spacing; parenchyma vasicentric, lozenge, and confluent.

Rot Resistance: Honey Mesquite is considered very durable regarding decay resistance.

Workability: Working properties are largely dictated by the quality of the wood itself. Mesquite that is clear and free from defects is easy to work with hand and machine tools, but irregular grain or knots can be challenging. Glues, turns, and finishes well.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Woods in the Prosopis genus have been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.