Lemon-Scented Wood

The wood database says that lilac wood often has reddish or lavender color streaks throughout the heartwood. I acquired a few lilac logs in spring, but I was not very lucky - the wood is just ordinary brown and white.

Lilac trunks are not very wide, often rot from the inside out and often crack while drying. So why to waste your time with such a wood? Especially if it has no lavender streaks at all?
I can say that it is an excellent wood nevertheless. It is hard, but with even texture, nice pattern and gloss. And it smells very nice. Freshly cut logs had a strong lemon oil scent and after drying the smell resembles lemon soap.

The log I selected was naturally curved to create a spoon shape. When it started to crack, I sealed both ends with wax and let it dry slowly for about half a year.

I read that hard wood should be dried one year for each centimeter of thickness. But half a year was quite enough for this spoon blank. The wood stopped cracking and looked dry afterwards.

I tried to imitate this spoon, also carved from lilac.

The following picture shows the natural luster on the knife cuts. The smoothness of the wood contributed even more to the "soapy" impression.

There are two thin reddish lines around the pith - the only exotic colors present in this piece of wood :D It's also noteworthy that the boundary between heartwood and sapwood does not follow the growth rings.

Here is the spoon after sanding...

... and finished, sealed with oil.
Overall, I'm very happy with the result - both with the shape and with the wood structure and pattern.