| THE TREE |
| Natural Range | Atlantic and Gulf Coastal regions, from Delaware to Texas, and the southern Mississippi River valley. |
| Stature | Though it can grow to a height of 150 feet and a diameter of 12 feet when as old as 2,200 years, most trees grow to 100 feet in height and 5 feet in diameter after 500 years |
| THE WOOD |
| Appearance | Sapwood is nearly a pure white. Heartwood can range from yellow-brown to a dark brownish-red to brown to even a dark chocolate. Isolated parts of some trees attacked by a fungus can have a "pecked" appearance. |
| Weight | 32 lbs/ft3 @ 12% moisture content |
| Hardness | 510 lbf (kiln-dried) |
| Workability | Moderately strong, hard, and pliable. Must use sharp cutting tools to prevent raised grain. Holds paint, takes nails, and glues together well. |
| Durability | Somewhat susceptible to dinging and marring; heartwood is resistant to very resistant to decay; old growth material is one of North America's most decay resistant species. |
