There are over 100 different species of foreign woods that are imported into the United States. By far, the greatest number of these are used for decorative or non engineering purposes — some are used for both.
Imported woods to be considered here are all defined as imported species, except those that are also native to the United States. Thus, all Canadian kinds are excluded because the United States has every species of wood that grows in Canada. Mexico, on the other hand, supplies some tropical woods not found in the United States. There are pines from the highlands of Mexico and Central America that are imported in fairly sizable volume at times, but the engineering aspects of their utilization coincide directly with the Southern pine found in the United States; consequently, no attempt is made to describe these. No other softwoods (conifers) are imported for use as engineering materials. Thus, all types discussed here are categorized as hardwood (broadleaf) species. Even balsa is a hardwood, because the terms "hardwood" and "softwood" in lumber-industry parlance allude to the botanical classification rather than the actual hardness or softness of the wood.
There are over 13 kinds of tropical hardwoods known to be used for engineering products or purposes. In certain parts of the world there are vast expanses of untouched tropical forests, which, no doubt, contain several other hardwoods of potential engineering value. However, the woods in current use are typical imported woods and applications:
1. Refrigeration: balsa
2. Wharves and docks: Greenheart, ekki, jarrah, ironbark, apitong, angelique
3. Boat construction: Philippine mahogany, Central and South American mahogany, African mahogany, balsa, apitong, teak, iroko, ironbark, jarrah, lignum vitae
4. Tanks and vats: Philippine mahogany, apitong
5. Building construction: mahogany (all types), apitong, balsa, greenheart
6. Poles, piling: greenheart, ekki
7. Machinery: lignum vitae
8. Aircraft and missiles: balsa
9. Vehicles: apitong
