- Joined
- Aug 26, 2012
- Messages
- 32
Like the trees this keeps coming back. These trees were native only from western Louisiana to eastern Texas and a ways north from there. The sapwood is soft and decays easily, but the heartwood is eternal (almost). Rock hard and twisted grained. I've sectioned trunks with my chainsaw to use as pavers. Back in the day when people made their own stuff, skilled folks made harness components as well as the items mentioned previously. Color varies from bright yellow to deep tan or orange. Its almost as if the tree petrifies its own heartwood. It is extremely dense but will float barely. I grew up in east Texas and the old timers loved to tell stories about its unusual properties. Even in the wet climate of east Texas, bois d'arc (pronounced bodark) defied the elements and simply would not rot. It's a niche product, native to the good old USA.
