Amazon Rosewood vs cocobolo

Dalbergia spruceana compared with Dalbergia granadillo

Key Differences

• Amazon Rosewood is Vulnerable while cocobolo is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Amazon Rosewood	cocobolo
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family same	Fabaceae	Fabaceae
Genus same	Dalbergia	Dalbergia
Species	Dalbergia spruceana	Dalbergia granadillo

Evolutionary Relationship

Amazon Rosewood and cocobolo share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Dalbergia.

Conservation Status

Amazon Rosewood

VU — Vulnerable

cocobolo

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Amazon Rosewood	cocobolo
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Amazon Rosewood

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Brazil. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

cocobolo

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Amazon Rosewood

The Amazon Rosewood (Dalbergia spruceana) is a species in the genus Dalbergia. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

cocobolo

Cocobolo (Dalbergia granadillo) is a medium to large tropical hardwood tree in the family Fabaceae, native to the dry and moist forests of Pacific Mexico and Central America, from Jalisco and Colima south through Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas into Guatemala and Honduras. The species is one of the most prized commercial rosewoods in the world, producing exceptionally dense, fine-grained heartwood in rich tones of red, orange, and brown with contrasting darker grain lines; this wood is used in high-end guitar fingerboards, knife handles, turning, and decorative woodwork. Unfortunately, this commercial value has driven intense illegal logging across much of its range, leading the IUCN to classify Dalbergia granadillo as Critically Endangered — the highest threat category short of extinction in the wild. The species is listed in CITES Appendix II, requiring documentation of sustainable harvest for international trade. Remaining populations are heavily fragmented in degraded and secondary forest, with mature trees of commercial size increasingly scarce. The slow growth rate of the species means that recovery of logged populations takes decades. Conservation initiatives include reforestation programmes, strengthening of enforcement against illegal logging, community-based forestry schemes, and research into propagation for plantation production as an alternative to wild harvest. Without effective action, Dalbergia granadillo faces continued population decline and potential extirpation from parts of its natural range.