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African zebrawood (Microberlinia bisulcata) is a spectacular but increasingly rare tropical hardwood native to the lowland rainforests of West Central Africa. Belonging to the Fabaceae (legume) family, this species is traded under several local names: Zebrano in Niger, Zingana in Ghana, and Allen Ele in Senegal. As an endangered African hardwood, zebrawood has become a symbol of both the beauty and the fragility of tropical forests.
Compared with more familiar tropical timbers like rosewood and mahogany, African zebrawood trees are relatively small, typically reaching heights of around 50 feet with a straight, modestly sized trunk. What makes zebrawood instantly recognizable is its dramatic striping: alternating bands of light yellow-to-golden brown heartwood set against a darker brown background. These bold “zebra” stripes run along the length of the board, creating a striking linear pattern that designers and woodworkers prize for high-end furniture, planks, and custom interiors.
The wood of the African zebrawood tree is dense, hard, and heavy, yet it machines surprisingly well with sharp tools. It takes a high polish, responds beautifully to fine finishing techniques, and stands out in contrast with plainer species such as maple or oak. Because of its decorative grain, zebrawood is often used as a face veneer on boxes, cutting boards, and musical instruments, where a small amount of wood can have a big visual impact.
In the wild, Microberlinia bisulcata is native to a narrow band of humid evergreen forest in West Central Africa. The species is most closely associated with the coastal rainforests of Cameroon and nearby countries, growing on well-drained, nutrient-poor soils under the canopy of the tropical rainforest. Zebrawood shares this habitat with other high-value tropical hardwoods that store enormous amounts of tree-based carbon while providing habitat for birds, primates, insects, and understory plants.
Zebrawood is also reported from forest patches in Gabon, Congo, and Ivory Coast, but Cameroon remains its stronghold. Unfortunately, those forests are under intense pressure from deforestation, logging roads, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure projects. As a result, natural populations of African zebrawood have become fragmented, with only a few viable stands left in places like Korup National Park and the slopes of Mount Cameroon.
Zebrawood is ranked among the hardest commercial hardwoods. With a Janka hardness rating of around 1575 lbf, it sits above many well-known species used for hardwood flooring and interior planks. This hardness, combined with its interlocked grain, results in:
Because of its striking appearance and strength, African zebrawood is used for high-end furniture, frames, veneer, gun stocks, turned objects, and specialty items such as wooden clocks and instrument parts. In many projects, small zebrawood accents are paired with lighter woods to create bold contrast without consuming large volumes of this scarce species.
In parts of West Africa, the bark and leaves of African zebrawood have long been used in traditional medicine and are sometimes grouped with other medicine trees. While these applications are based on local knowledge rather than modern clinical trials, they illustrate how Indigenous communities value the living tree as more than just timber.
These uses are part of traditional knowledge systems and are not a substitute for modern medical care. Anyone considering herbal remedies should consult a qualified health professional.
The same qualities that make zebrawood desirable for luxury furniture and statement wood tables have helped drive it toward extinction in the wild. Unsustainable logging, combined with widespread clearing of tropical forest for agriculture and roads, has dramatically reduced the species’ range. Today, African zebrawood is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and remaining populations are small, isolated, and vulnerable to further disturbance.
Habitat loss also has ripple effects: when an old-growth zebrawood tree is cut, it not only removes a valuable carbon store, it also disrupts complex root networks, mycorrhizal fungi, and wildlife that depend on deep tree roots, shade, and seasonal fruit. Protecting remnant stands of zebrawood helps safeguard entire forest communities, from forest insects and birds to understory plants.
Because African zebrawood is rare and expensive, buyers and woodworkers must take extra care to avoid contributing to illegal logging and destructive harvesting. Whenever possible, request documentation on origin, ask suppliers about certification, and consider substituting more sustainable species for large projects. Responsibly managed landscape trees or plantation-grown hardwoods can often deliver similar performance with a lower ecological cost.
Substituting responsibly sourced species, using zebrawood only where its visual impact is essential, and minimizing waste all support a more ethical approach to tropical hardwoods. For many applications, creative use of veneers over stable cores or reclaimed wood from salvaged logs can provide the desired look while dramatically reducing demand for freshly cut endangered timber.
One practical way to help is by supporting conservation and restoration programs. Tree Plantation’s Adopt an Endangered Tree initiative connects concerned individuals with projects that protect rare species like African zebrawood, as well as other threatened rainforest and biodiversity hotspots.
Adoption contributions help fund field research, population monitoring, seed collection, nursery work, and community-based conservation that keeps forests standing. Just as importantly, they help elevate discussions about tree rights and the broader value of living forests, not only as sources of wood but as long-term climate, water, and wildlife assets.
African zebrawood is a unique and highly decorative hardwood, but it also serves as a warning. When demand for rare woods rises faster than forests can regenerate, we lose irreplaceable species, along with their cultural and ecological roles. By choosing materials carefully, supporting conservation, and planting new trees in tree gardens, plantations, and restoration sites, we can help ensure that the next generation experiences zebrawood as a living tree—not only as a luxury wood product.
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