This is a question that has been eating at me for a year.
When I look through the Wood Database and my local lumber store I notice that the really colorful woods (e.g. bloodwood, purpleheart) all come from trees native to hot, southern regions. Principally, it seems, South America and Africa.
To my knowledge, wood native to North America is usually some variation on brown or white.
But there are many "exotic" woods that are potently red, yellow, orange, purple, and jet black.
Assuming my premise is correct, why is this? Is there something about hotter, tropical regions that causes trees to give up wood with interesting colors? Is it just coincidence?
I have researched this and haven't found an answer. My initial idea was that heat=colorful wood but I think that's way too simplistic and couldn't find any evidence to support it.
Opinions?
When I look through the Wood Database and my local lumber store I notice that the really colorful woods (e.g. bloodwood, purpleheart) all come from trees native to hot, southern regions. Principally, it seems, South America and Africa.
To my knowledge, wood native to North America is usually some variation on brown or white.
But there are many "exotic" woods that are potently red, yellow, orange, purple, and jet black.
Assuming my premise is correct, why is this? Is there something about hotter, tropical regions that causes trees to give up wood with interesting colors? Is it just coincidence?
I have researched this and haven't found an answer. My initial idea was that heat=colorful wood but I think that's way too simplistic and couldn't find any evidence to support it.
Opinions?