Introductory Agroforestry

TECTONA GRANDIS

Botanical Name: Tectona grandis L.
Common Name: Teak, Sagwan
Family : Verbenaceae

Plate 16.2 Tectona grandis L. tree

Description

• Large deciduous tree up to 30 m high and 100 cm or more dbh
• Long straight cylindrical bole up to 2/3 of the height of tree.
• Deep tap root system
• Bark pale brown, grey, striate, fibrous, peeling off in thin strips
• Branch-lets are quadrangular and channelled

Distribution

• Indigenous in peninsula of India, in North-Eastern drier part of Java and other islands of Indian Archipelago
• The Nilambur in Kerala, manmade teak forest are known to foresters throughout world.
• Natural habitat is between 10°N and 25°N on Indian subcontinent, in South-East Aisa especially in India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Combodia, Vitenam and Indonesia.
• It does not occur naturally in Malaysia

Site factors

Climate

• Teak naturally occurs only in monsoon climate
• Temperature - Maximum 48°C, Minimum 2°C
• Rainfall - 700mm to 2200 mm
• Altitude - 600m to 1200 msl.

Soil

• It grows on variety of geological formations notably trap, limestone, granite, gneiss, mica schist, sandstone, quartzite and clay
• Well drained, well ventilated soils with high oxygen content are best
• Generally prefer soil between pH 6.0-8.5H

Phenology

• Leaf-fall - Dry area- November to January

Wet area- March

 
• Leaf renewal - May
• Flowering - June to September
• Fruiting - November to January
• Seed collection - January/February
• Seed viability - more than 1 year
• Seed weight - 125 to 176 per 100 gm.
• Germination - 60 to 80 per cent.

Silvicultural characters

• Strong light demander
• Frost tender
• Drought and wind sensitive
• Fire resistant
• Not browsed
• Good coppice

Plate 16.3 Tectona grandis L. fruits