Okan (African Greenheart)
Scientific name
Cylicodiscus gabunensis
- Marine
Belonging to the Fabaceae family, native to West Africa, its color is yellowish-brown to golden with a distinctive greenish tinge, turning reddish-brown with light exposure, with a coarse texture and strongly interlocked grain. It is among the heaviest and densest of African woods and one of the most durable, sometimes compared to South American greenheart for its exceptional hardness.
Common Uses: Its exceptional density and high resistance to marine organisms make it one of the best choices for heavy construction requiring long-term endurance, such as marine works and railway sleepers, and it is also relied upon in harbor works where the wood remains in constant contact with water and heavy friction.
