Native to the eastern hardwood forests, occurs naturally from Massachusetts south to Florida and from Indiana south to the Gulf of Mexico. It is most common and of largest size (2-3 feet diameter and 40-50 feet high) on moist swamp margins and other rich moist sites but is nowhere abundant. The wood, perhaps the whitest in the world, is hard, tough, fine-textured and dense. Prized principally for inlay and turnery, and is popular for the white parts of chess boards and pieces. The foliage is much used for Christmas garlands. This sample is sightly blued because of a wood-staining fungus.

Location: 124-10 (explanation)