Pucté

Bullywood / Bucida buceras

Local Names

Bullet Tree, Black Olive, Cacho de Toro, Ucar, Gregre, Bois Gri-Gri, Grignon, Leertouwarsboom.

Distribution & Tree

Referred to alternately as black olive, oxhorn and bullet tree in English, pucté’s natural range comprises Mesoamerica through Panama into Colombia and Venezuela as well as various Caribbean islands including the Florida Keys, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and parts of the Lesser Antilles. It is salt tolerant and grows well in coastal swamps but also in drier limestone soils, developing an extensive root system that anchors the soil. It’s a medium to large tree reaching up to 20 meters high (sometimes higher) and diameters exceeding 100 cm.

Wood Appearance

Pucté’s heartwood ranges from yellowish to greenish-brown with an olive hue oftentimes with longitudinal stripes as a result of interwoven grain. It has a medium to fine texture and is very lustrous, almost glasslike. Fresh cut wood has a tarry odor that disappears after drying. The wood may have an attractive figure on its side surfaces.

Processing Properties

The wood is rather difficult to saw and machine with hand and power tools because of its very high density. Pucté yields very smooth finishes, but its grain may tear in planing. Pre-boring is recommended to avoid splitting.

Strength & Durability

Due to its high density and silica content, the wood is resistant to dry-wood termites and durable in ground contact. The Wood is designated as very resistant to decay (class 1 under ASTM D 2017-71 and EN 350-1). Susceptible to teredo marine borers. Its strength is said to resemble that of greenheart (Ocotea rodiaei).

Wood Uses

Exterior use in posts, poles, railway crossties, and other durable construction. Both heavy-duty and residential flooring. It can be used for furniture (e.g. tabletops), interior trim, tool handles, and decking. The wood is employed for marine construction, including ship keels and bridges, where borers not present.

Ecological & Social Importance

In Haiti, a bark and leaf decoction is taken for fever. The bark is high in tannin and has been used for tanning.

Values determined at 12% humidity - Provided for reference only
			Reference Species with Similar Density & Hardness
Technical Characteristics		Pucté	Hickory (Shagbark)	Black Locust
Density	kg/m3	1,020	800	770
Janka Hardness	kgf	925	853	771
Bending Stiffness (Modulus of Elasticity)	GPa	13.7	14.9	14.1
Bending Strength (Modulus of Rupture)	MPa	106.2	139.3	133.8
Crushing Strength	MPa	75.0	63.5	70.3
Shrinkage, Radial	%	4.4%	7.0%	4.6%
Shrinkage, Tangential	%	7.9%	10.5%	7.2%
Shrinkage, Volumetric	%	12.2%	16.7%	10.2%
T/R Ratio		1.8	1.5	1.6

DENSITY

JANKA HARDNESS

BENDING STIFFNESS

BENDING STRENGTH

CRUSHING STRENGTH

SHRINKAGE

Values are for reference only and cannot be guaranteed. Wood is a natural material and physical and mechanical properties may vary depending on age, genetics, and other factors. We encourage customers to consult the references provided in the bibliography. For further explanations of wood’s key technical characteristics, an excellent resource is the Wood Database with articles on Density (average dried weight); Janka hardness; Elastic Modulus; Rupture Modulus; Crushing Strength; Radial, Tangential and Volumetric Shrinkage.

References	View Source
"Catálogo de Arboles." Red de Viveros de Biodiversidad.
"Catálogo de Maderas Tropicales de México". 2012
Catálogo virtual de flora del Valle de Aburrá, Universidad EIA
Forster, R. et al. "Comunidades forestales y el mercadeo de maderas tropicales poco comerciales de Mesoamérica." 2002.
Jucaro. Wood Technology Transfer Fact Sheets. Forest Products Laboratory. USDA Forest Service.
Longwood, F. "Puerto Rican Woods: Their Machining, Seasoning and Related Characteristics." Agriculture Handbook No. 205. USDA.
PUKTÉ. "Fichas de Propiedades Tecnológicas de las Maderas." Proyecto ITTO PD 385/05 Rev. 4 (I,F.)
Silva Guzmán, José Antonio. 2008. Fichas técnicas sobre características y usos de maderas comercializadas en México. Tomo II. Comisión Nacional Forestal (CONAFOR). Guadalajara, Jalisco. México 8.
Standley, PC. Williams, LO. Gibson, DN. "Flora of Guatemala." Volume 24. Field Museum of Natural History. 1974.
Velasquez Mendez. "Especies Forestales Comerciales del Peten, Guatemala." 2014
World Agroforestry Centre database