That's mind boggling. Hedge (osage orange) is considered by many to be the densest wood in the USA, even denser than shagbark hickory and about the same as live oak, according to all the books that I have read.
Can you provide a source so that I can study desert ironwood? Even if "half" is an exaggeration, if it is denser than hedge, I would like to read up on it. If so, I would also have to wonder why it has not been sold as an exotic.
TIA.
Tia
Here is just the first comparison, there are a lot more, but this one shows the ones that will sink,,,,,, like a rock!
Trees With Dry (Seasoned) Wood That Sinks In Water :
Olneya tesota
(Desert Ironwood): 1.15
Guaiacum officinale
(Lignum Vitae): 1.37
Cercocarpus betuloides
Mountain Mahogany: 1.10
Diospyros ebenum
Ebony: 1.12
Very Heavy Wood :
Prunus ilicifolia
Hollyleaf Cherry: 0.98 Diospyros virginiana
Persimmon: 0.83
Quercus engelmannii
Engelmann Oak: 0.94
Carya ovata
Shagbark Hickory: 0.83
Acacia greggii
Cat's Claw Acacia: 0.85
Ostrya virginiana
Eastern Ironwood: 0.80
Quercus chrysolepis
Canyon Live Oak: 0.85
Lyonothamnus floribundus
Catalina Ironwood: 0.80
Quercus agrifolia
Coast Live Oak: 0.83
Robinia pseudoacacia
Black Locust: 0.79
Prosopis glandulosa
Mesquite: 0.77
Maclura pomifera
Osage Orange: 0.77
Heavy Wood:
Cornus nuttallii
Pacific Dogwood: 0.75
Carya illinoensis
Pecan: 0.72
Arbutus menziesii
Madrone: 0.71
Betula alleghaniensis
Yellow Birch: 0.69
Fraxinus velutina
Arizona Ash: 0.68
Quercus coccinea
Scarlet Oak: 0.67
Umbellularia californica
California Bay Tree: 0.65
Cercis canadensis
Redbud: 0.63
Quercus kelloggii
California Black Oak: 0.64
Tectona grandis
Teak: 0.63
Juglans californica
California Black Walnut: 0.63
Acer saccharum
Sugar Maple: 0.63
Medium Heavy Wood:
Chilopsis linearis
Desert Willow: 0.59
Liquidambar styraciflua
Sweet Gum: 0.59
Cercidium floridum
Palo Verde: 0.55
Prunus serotina
Black Cherry: 0.56
Psorothamnus spinosus
Smoke Tree: 0.55
Acer saccharinum
Silver Maple: 0.53
Celtis reticulata
Western Hackberry: 0.53
Swietenia macrophylla
Honduras Mahogany: 0.51
Acer macrophyllum
Big-Leaf Maple: 0.50
Magnolia grandiflora
Southern Magnolia: 0.50
Soft Wood :
Pinus ponderosa
Ponderosa Pine: 0.46
Sequoia sempervirens
Coast Redwood: 0.40
Calocedrus decurrens
Incense Cedar: 0.40
Picea engelmannii
Engelmann Spruce: 0.35
Pinus lambertiana
Sugar Pine: 0.36
Quercus suber
Cork Oak Bark: 0.24
Abies concolor
White Fir: 0.36
Ochroma pyramidale
Balsa: 0.17
Hedge is around Sp. gr., 0.7736; weight of cu. ft., 48.21 lb (21.87 kg). So give or take, close to half the weight of DI