Botanical Name: Ochroma pyramidale.
Appearance: The lightest and softest commercial hardwood timber. Generally only the sapwood is used and is white to oatmeal in colour, sometimes with a pink or yellow hue. The grain is generally open and straight with a medium to coarse texture. Highly porous yet bouyant when coated.
Common Uses: Lightweight yet stiff model construction; model bridge tests, model buildings and model aircraft. Also used for props in theatre and television and is ideal for whittling.
Finishing: Generally a film-forming surface finish such as paint or clear finish is preferable due to excessive soak-up of penetrating finishes such as stains or oils.