Genuine Mahogany, Swietenia Macrophylla, is also known as Honduran, Brazilian, American, and Peruvian Mahogany, depending on where it was harvested. The heartwood varies from light to dark reddish brown, with some pieces exhibiting a rich deep red color. The heartwood is also durable and rot resistant. Genuine Mahogany is easily worked, glues well, and takes fasteners well. It stains and polishes to a lustrous finish. It has a Janka hardness rating of 900.
Honduran Mahogany became known as “Genuine Mahogany” when over harvesting of Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia Mahogani) banned its export from Cuba. Now Honduran Mahogany has also been overharvested and is on the CITES list as an endangered species. It is available in limited quantities from responsibly harvested sources.
This limited supply has increased the price and decreased availability. Most woodworkers and boatbuilders now rely on the more readily available African Mahogany (Khaya spp.)
Sources: US Department of Agriculture, US Forestry Service. www.fpl.fs.fed.us
Meier, E. (2016) Wood! Identifying and Using Hundreds of Woods Worldwide. Eric Meier: USA