What is Parota wood used for?

What is Parota wood used for?                                                                              By Patricia Stephens

The Parota tree is known in English as the "elephant ear tree" because its leaves resemble the large animals' giant, loping ears. It is a tree with many uses, including furniture.

The Parota tree grows mainly in Latin America. It has a huge trunk and is of lighter density than most woods used in home furnishings. This feature makes it easier to harvest and ship. Parota proliferates and is considered a sustainable and renewable natural resource. The "heartwood", the dense, inner core of its trunk where the hardest timber of the tree, is light to medium brown and sometimes reddish-brown. The "sapwood" of the tree is pale and yellowish, resulting in exotic-looking furniture pieces.

Parota TV Stand

Parota is one of the more pricier woods used in furniture-making but is a popular choice. Many customers choose it for indoor or outdoor chairs, tables, and more because of its insect resistance. It is also used to make kitchen tools, construction and landscaping equipment, toys, and "turned" items like desks or chairs with ornamental legs.

Parota Dining Table and Seating

Interestingly, Parota has been used for medicinal purposes in Mexico for centuries. Historians said the gum from the trunk was used to improve respiratory issues such as colds. Others report Parota as an intestinal purifier. Mexico also used the pulp in the Parota tree for making laundry soap. In the kitchen, seeds from the Parota's fruit were ground into flour similar to wheat and used in sauces and soups. The fruit was also used as a substitute for coffee and a food supplement for livestock. Parota seems to have unlimited uses.

Parota Tables

Parota wood has an unusual and sophisticated color blend that will offer a customer a unique look for their home. It's durable enough to repel even termites. People from both North and South America seek it out for its sustainability, durability, longevity, and aesthetic perfection.

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