Ebony, << EHB uh nee, >> is a hard, black wood. This wood can be polished to an almost metallic luster. Ebony trees are found mainly in Australia, Asia, Africa, and tropical regions of North and South America. Two species of ebony trees grow in the Southeastern United States.
Only the heartwood (inner wood) is dark-colored. The sapwood (outer wood) is lighter colored. In some species, the heartwood also is light-colored. A hard gum in the heartwood is probably responsible for ebony’s brittleness, which makes it easy to carve.
The persimmon trees of the United States and the Orient are species of ebony, but these trees have little or no commercial value. The hard, dark brown wood of the common persimmon is used to make such products as shuttles for textile weaving. Ebony is used mainly for black piano keys, flutes, handles of knives and brushes, wood inlays on furniture, and other ornamental objects.
