Bubinga, a wood that to some people resembles rosewood is a member of the Leguminosae family and found mainly in equatorial Africa. Primarily a wetland wood, bubinga thrives in swamps, inundated forests and near rivers and lakes.

True bubinga is a very valuable veneer wood. Its uses include fine furniture, veneers and inlay work. Considered an excellent turnery wood, bubinga is used for knife handles, brush backs and similar fancy items. Rotary cut kevazingo produces a dramatic pattern with wild swirls that is popular for paneling and decorative veneers.

Although its logs are uniform in color, bubinga's woods are produced in colors ranging from pale to deep red often with lighter red to purple veining. Fresh-cut bubinga heartwood varies in color from pink to vivid red to red brown with purple or red streaks and veins. After exposure the heartwood can yellow or turn medium brown in color; the veining often fades. Its sapwood is whitish in color.

A lustrous wood, bubinga also produces a distinct figure, usually stripes and mottles. Bubinga has a straight or interlocked grain. The logs with an extremely irregular grain are saved and sold as kevazingo by peeling into veneers.

Bubinga has a moderately coarse but even texture. It seasons easily but has problems with gum exudation. It dries with little degrade and remains stable in use. It has low steam bending qualities because gum pockets can produce problems during the bending process.

Even though bubinga is a very hard and heavy wood, bubinga can be worked with little trouble using hand and machine tools. The gum pockets can cause the most trouble during machining operations. A reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended for planing or moulding when the material being worked has interlocked or irregular grain. This helps prevent tearing and pick up.

Bubinga can suffer a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutting edges, so maintaining a regular tool sharpening program is important. It saws, planes, glues and finishes well.