English
Spanish
Terminalia amazonia
Canxan
Also known as Canxan Negro or Nargusta — a dense, richly striped hardwood that oxidizes into deep golden and reddish tones, prized for fine furniture and heavy-use flooring.
View Selected InventoryAbout Canxan
Canxan is a dense, durable hardwood harvested from Terminalia amazonia, also traded as Canxan Negro or Nargusta. Freshly cut, the sapwood runs grayish-yellow against darker heartwood; once dry, it shifts to orange or yellowish tones with a heartwood that deepens to reddish yellow, light yellowish-brown, or yellowish-olive, streaked with darker reddish-brown stripes. The wood oxidizes quickly once exposed to air and light, giving finished pieces a rich, evolving color. Its interlocked grain produces a high natural luster on radial cuts and a more variable, wavy figure on tangential cuts — a contrast that makes Canxan a visually striking choice for fine furniture work.
At a glance
- Nargusta (English)
- Canxan Negro (Mesoamerica)
- Tanimbuca
- Fukadi
At a glance
- Origin
- Mesoamerica
- Category
- Indoor Furniture
- Best for
- Fine furniture
- Working properties
- Challenging to machine due to its interlocked grain, which can cause tearout — sharp or carbide-tipped tools are recommended, along with pre-boring before nailing or screwing.
Spec sheet
Physical-mechanical properties
Published physical-mechanical values for Terminalia amazonia at 12% moisture content (ITTO Tropical Timber species database).
Basic density
780 kg/mu00b3
Air-dry density (12% MC)
890 kg/mu00b3
Bending strength (MOR)
1,630 kgf/cmu00b2
Stiffness (MOE)
174,000 kgf/cmu00b2
Compression parallel to fiber
808 kgf/cmu00b2
Compression perpendicular to fiber
143 kgf/cmu00b2
Radial shear strength
132 kgf/cmu00b2
Janka hardness - side
984 kgf
Janka hardness - end grain
1,140 kgf
Where it's used
Built for the demanding jobs
01 — Furniture
Indoor & outdoor furniture
02 — Flooring
Premium hardwood flooring
03 — Musical Instruments
Tonewood & musical instruments
04 — Marine
Marine decking & boat building
Application Gallery
Request this species
Ask about Canxan
Tell us your project’s dimensions and finish requirements — we’ll
confirm stock, grading, and lead time from our working inventory.
