Pernambuco or Pau-Brazil, Caesalpinia echinata, is a slow-growing, medium sized tree of the Leguminosae family. Its distribution corresponds essentially to that of the Mata Atlantica or Brazilian Atlantic forest.

The growth rate of Pau-Brazil depends on several factors such as the composition of the soil, the climate or the geogra-phical location.

While the sapwood predominates in young trees, the yellow or redbrown heartwood, i.e. the part suitable for bowmaking, only becomes dominant after twenty years.

A reforestation programme in the state of Pernambuco has shown that thirty-year old trees already produce wood suitable for bowmaking.

Several genetic variations of Pau-Brazil exist, providing wood of very diverse qualities

Transversal cuts from Pernambuco trees, one aged 12 years (above), the other 27 years (below)

The trunk of the Caesalpinia echinata is covered with thorns

Yellow in colour, the flower of the Caesalpinia echinata lasts for a maximum of two days and first appears when the tree is three or four years old