Tiger maple is an exotic hardwood with a distinctive wavy or curly pattern that can resemble tiger stripes. Also known as curly maple or flame maple, tiger maple's durability and its array of patterns make the wood a popular with woodworkers who want to design a unique, decorative piece of furniture.

Tiger maple's distinctive pattern is a deviation in the wood's growth known as figuring. The pattern travels across the grain and can look like stripes, waves or small flames.

Tiger maple wood comes from the red maple tree, a temperate hardwood tree that grows in the eastern United States and Canada.

Because of its hardness, durability and beauty, tiger maple is a frequent choice for custom-made furniture, gun stocks, knife handles and musical instruments.