crotchwood
/ˈkrɒtʃˌwʊd/Definitions
1. noun
A type of shrub or small tree, particularly the eastern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) with a straight, smooth stem and a forked branch at the top, used for making handles, tool handles, and other objects.
“The craftsman used crotchwood to create the handle of the axe.”