Formosa Koa
Formosa Koa (Acacia confusa) is a perennial tree native to South-East Asia. Some common names for it are acacia petit feuille, small Philippine acacia and Formosa acacia (Taiwan acacia).
It grows to a height of 15m.
The tree has become very common in many tropical Pacific areas, including Hawaii, where the species is considered invasive.
Its uses include chemical products, environmental management and food and drink. The bark may be ground into a powder and steeped in water to create a tea, or may be spread onto various foods as a spice and taste enhancer. In Taiwan, its wood was used to make support beams for underground mines. The wood is also converted to charcoal for family use. The plant is used in traditional medicine and is available from herbal medicine shops (草藥店) in Taiwan, but there has been no clinical study to support its effectiveness. It is also frequently used as a durable flooring material.
Formosa Koa is extremely dense but can be comparatively beautiful as acacia koa, and occasionally difficult to tell apart.
Janka Hardness: 1460 lbf
Average Dried Weight: 52.4 lbs/ft3 (840 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity: .73More information: