Ipe vs. Ironwood — What's the Difference?

A type of wood of the genus Tabebuia, similar to teak, used for outdoor decking and furniture.

Ironwood is a common name for many woods or plants that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is heavier than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in English may or may not indicate a tree that yields such heavy wood.

Any of numerous trees, such as the hornbeam and the hop hornbeam, that have very hard wood.

The wood of any of these trees.

Any of numerous tree species known locally for having a particularly solid wood, or the wood of such species itself.

(AU) Acacia esthrophiolata, Acacia excelsa, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia stenophylla, or Erythrophleum chlorostachys.

Aegiphilia martinicensis

Afzelia africana

Astronium spp.

Backhousia myrtifolia

Carpinus caroliniana

Casuarina cristata

Chionanthus caymanensis

Cliftonia monophylla

Colubrina elliptica

Combretum imberbe

Cordia subcordata

Cyrilla racemiflora

Dialium guianense

Exothea paniculata

Foresteria pubescens

Gordonia haematoxylon

Gymnostoma sumatranum

Heritiera spp.

Jacquinia keyensis

Metrosideros spp.

Myracrodruon urundeuva

Paubrasilia echinata

Prunus africana

Schinopsis spp.

Schleichera oleosa

Senegalia muricata

Sideroxylon spp.

Sloania spp.

Swartzia spp.

Terminalia canescens

Thouina striata

Vachellia farnesiana

A tree unusually hard, strong, or heavy wood.

Handsome East Indian evergreen tree often planted as an ornamental for its fragrant white flowers that yield a perfume; source of very heavy hardwood used for railroad ties

Exceptionally tough or hard wood of any of a number of ironwood trees

A small slow-growing deciduous tree of northern Iran having a low domed shape

Medium-sized hop hornbeam of eastern North America