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What is Ave Wood?

The Wood Guide · The wood register

Tropical hardwood · reference

Ave wood

Better known as rosewood or pau-rosa. Pink to reddish brown, naturally lustrous, with an unmistakable scent of roses — and a story you should know before you buy it.

  • Aniba rosaeodora
  • CITES Appendix II
  • Tree 30–40 m
Aniba rosaeodora
Rosewood distillery in Guiana (c. 1920) with stacks of felled logs (French Guiana, 1920s)
Rosewood distillery in Guiana (c. 1920) with stacks of felled logsFrench Guiana, 1920s
In pictures · Ave wood1 / 6
Chapter 1 · The species

Ave wood

Better known as rosewood or pau-rosa. Pink to reddish brown, naturally lustrous, with an unmistakable scent of roses — and a story you should know before you buy it.

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Summary

Ave in brief

The wood of Aniba rosaeodora, a tropical broadleaf tree from the rainforests of South America, particularly Brazil and the wider Amazon region.

The tree grows 30 to 40 metres tall with a straight trunk 60 to 90 centimetres in diameter. The heartwood ranges from pink to reddish brown, the sapwood from almost white to light yellow. The texture is fine to medium with a mostly straight grain; interlocked grain occurs.

What makes it unmistakable is the scent. Freshly sawn ave wood smells of roses — the origin both of the trade name rosewood and of the problem attached to it.

Why it is protected

The rose scent comes from linalool, a substance harvested for perfume. Whole trees were felled and distilled for that oil — not for the wood, but for the scent. That is why Aniba rosaeodora is listed in Appendix II of CITES: trade is only permitted with a permit and with proof of legal origin.

Botanical
Aniba rosaeodora
Other names
rosewood, pau-rosa, bois de rose
Origin
Amazon region, mainly Brazil
Tree
30 to 40 m, trunk 60 to 90 cm
Scent
rose scent from linalool
Status
CITES Appendix II — permit required

To be fair: this is not a wood you simply buy. The species has declined sharply through overexploitation for perfume oil and is listed in CITES Appendix II. Without papers proving legal origin, leave it alone — however beautiful it is.

Measurable

Appearance and structure

Colour

Heartwood pink to reddish brown, sapwood almost white to light yellow. The contrast between heartwood and sapwood is clearly visible.

Texture and grain

Fine to medium, with a mostly straight grain. Interlocked grain sometimes occurs and then makes planing harder.

Lustre

A natural lustre that makes the wood attractive even without a finish — the reason it is valued as veneer.

Scent

A distinctive rose scent, strongest when the wood is freshly sawn.

Uses

What it was used for

Use Why ave Today
Perfume oil Linalool from the wood The main cause of the overexploitation
Luxury furniture Colour, lustre and scent Rare and permit-only
Veneer Decorative surface Mainly found in old pieces
Musical instruments Sound and appearance Limited, with papers
Decorative carving Fine texture Small pieces, often reused
What we recommend

If you are after the warm reddish-brown look, consider species without protected status: mahogany from plantations, sheesham, or padauk. For garden furniture, ave is out of the question anyway.

Quick answer

Frequently asked questions about ave wood

Can ave wood still be traded?

Only with a CITES permit and proof of legal origin. Aniba rosaeodora is listed in Appendix II, which allows trade but ties it to strict documentation. Without papers: do not buy.

Why does ave wood smell of roses?

Because of linalool, a natural fragrance compound in the wood. The same substance is used in the perfume industry, and extracting it is why the species became endangered.

Is ave the same as palisander?

No. Palisander is Dalbergia and is also called rosewood in English — one of the most confusing name overlaps in the timber trade. Ave is Aniba rosaeodora, an entirely different genus.

What is a good alternative?

For the colour: mahogany, sheesham or padauk. All three give a warm reddish-brown tone without protected status.

More in The Wood Guide

Ave in perspective

A reference species with a warning attached — beautiful wood, vulnerable tree.

To The Wood Guide Tropical hardwood Mahogany

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Photo via Wikimedia Commons: French Guiana, 1920s — Unknown (Bibliothèque nationale de France, Gallica), Public domain

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