🌳 Tree
ANX-TREE-0000011
Teak
Tectona grandis
Teak (Tectona grandis), a timber tree of the Lamiaceae family.
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Tree type
- Timber
- Mature height (m)
- 30-40
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Lifespan (years)
- 100+
- Native region
- South and Southeast Asia, widely planted in the tropics.
Environment
Growing Conditions
- Climate requirements
- Tropical, with a distinct dry season; does not tolerate frost.
- Soil types
- Deep, well-drained, fertile soils, ideally slightly acidic to neutral.
- Water requirements
- Moderate; needs a distinct dry season for good wood quality but adequate rainfall in the growing season.
Cultivation
Planting & Care
- Planting guide
- Grown from seed or stumps in plantation blocks, typically 2x2m to 3x3m initial spacing with later thinning.
- Care guide
- Requires periodic thinning and pruning for straight, knot-free timber; rotations of 20-60+ years depending on end use.
Phenology
Flowering & Fruiting
- Flowering season
- Small white flower clusters at branch tips
- Fruiting season
- Small round fruit enclosing the seed
Value
Uses & Economic Importance
- Uses
- Premium furniture, boat-building, and construction timber prized for natural durability and water resistance.
- Economic importance
- One of the world's most valuable tropical hardwood timbers, with long-established plantation programmes across South/Southeast Asia and increasingly East Africa.
Trade
Marketplace
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