Date: 12/14/2003

item: candelabra

catalog #: 296

height: 4"

principal wood: palo verde

accent woods: none

comments:  The palo verde tree is a familiar sight in the deserts of the southwest USA. It usually looks a misty grey-green in color when seen from a distance, most commonly while speeding across the desert in an air conditioned car trying not to think about the 105 degree heat outside. The tree survives extremely high temperatures and has tiny leaves that drop off to minimize water loss during dry periods (most of the time!). The particular tree from which this candelabra was made was planted in the educational desert garden in front of the Ranger Station of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County, California. This garden, a beautiful spot to learn about desert flora, was apparently very much to the liking of the palo verde tree; it had grown vigorously, almost rampantly, and was encroaching on adjacent plantings. The gardeners were forced to cut it back severely in the winter of 2001. With the permission of the rangers I was able to rescue a few logs. The wood is generally yellow in color, but variable, of medium hardness and is easy to work. This piece was the first to be made from it; there will be more.

price: $95