Britannica AI Icon

mahogany

tree
Also known as: Swietenia mahagoni

Quick Summary

Mahogany refers to several tropical hardwood timber trees, primarily from the Meliaceae family. The most well-known is Swietenia mahagoni, native to tropical America, which yields hard, reddish-brown wood highly valued for furniture and paneling. Other significant sources include African species like Khaya and Entandophragma, as well as Philippine mahogany (Shorea species). These timbers are typically reddish, lustrous, easy to work, and resistant to warping, making them ideal for cabinetmaking. It is important to note that mountain mahogany, a genus of North American shrubs or small trees, is unrelated to true mahogany.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.