The heartwood of African padouk is a beautiful bright orangey red, also called coral red, hence the name corail. When exposed to light, this shade quickly discolors to pale reddish-brown and in the long run to black-brown. If the wood is varnished in a timely manner with an acid-hardening clear varnish, the beautiful color will be retained longer. The 100-200 mm wide sapwood is dirty white to cream colored. African padouk is an excellent, durable, beautiful and stable type of wood.