The most expensive wood in the world is African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon), with an average price ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 per cubic meter or up to $100–$200 per board foot. It is prized for its exceptional density, deep black coloration with occasional purple hues, durability, and rarity due to slow growth and overharvesting. African Blackwood is commonly used in high-end musical instruments like clarinets and oboes, luxury knife handles, fine furniture, and intricate inlay work. Other highly valuable woods include Sandalwood, Pink Ivory, Ebony, Agarwood, Bocote, Lignum Vitae, Snakewood, Macassar Ebony, and Rosewoods from the Dalbergia genus, each known for unique qualities like fragrance, color, grain patterns, or hardness that make them luxurious and sought after in specialized markets. Agarwood's resin, used for perfumes, can command prices up to $100,000 per kilogram, making it exceptionally valuable as well. The high price of these woods is driven by rarity, slow maturation, unique appearance, durability, cultural significance, and strict harvesting regulations worldwide.
