The Rosewood tree is well-known for the expensive furniture made out of its wood.

A Rosewood Table

Native to Coorg, it is found practically everywhere in this region, particularly on plantations. This is because Coorg possesses the vegetation that is conducive for the rosewood tree to thrive here. This tree is useful to coffee plantations as it provides the necessary shade to coffee plants.

Rosewood Trees

Interestingly, wherever the Rosewood tree is grown, its roots spread out over a distance of 50 – 60 metres. Additionally, this tree is always found in clusters. Surprisingly, as the tree doesn’t generate seeds, its shoots, that grow from its roots are used to grow more trees.  This tree sheds its leaves twice a year; from January to February and August to September. What’s most astounding about this tree is the fact that it takes half a century to grow to its full size!

Rosewood interestingly, is known to be very good for making furniture as it possesses beautiful grains and provides good timber. It is also one of the strongest types of wood found. Interestingly, this wood has several unconventional uses, which will be described here.

Rosewood Planks

Rosewood is used for making carvings or handicrafts. Interestingly, it is also used to make musical instruments such as guitars, drums, ‘sitars’, violins and pianos. Another interesting fact in this regard is that Guitars produce good music when they are made out of Rosewood! Fascinatingly, the great composer Mozart used to play a piano that was made of rosewood.

The affluent are known to make their dining tables out of Rosewood. In days of old, the ‘Pandavas’ and ‘Kauravas’ played ‘Kvaede Atta’ (a game similar to Ludu) where they used pawns made of rosewood. Today, rich golf players keep their golf balls in wooden cases made out of rosewood!

Rosewood Chess Pieces

The Maharajas who ruled Karnataka in the days of yore used jewelry boxes made out of rosewood. Judges today use gavels made of this wood at court. Rosewood is also used to make the handle of the seal used in place of signatures in documents.

It is also used to make paint brushes and the frames of paintings. Additionally, this exotic wood is used to make revolver handles and walking sticks. In the days of yore, Swamijis (God-men) walked around in slippers made of Rosewood! The elite classes have always used this wood to display their wealth and have even been known to make their photo frames out of it! Strangely, when the British ruled India, they wore caps made of rosewood!

Rosewood Trees at the Orange County, Coorg Reception

In conclusion, Rosewood is beautiful in appearance, being brown with grains on its surface. Hence, when you next step into Orange County, Coorg, don’t forget to look out for this exotic wood!

This entry was posted on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 7:00 PM and is filed under Flora, Plantation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.