Teak (Tectona grandis)

Teak is native to South and Southeast Asia and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is fast growing and can grow to a height of 30 - 40 meters. This deciduous, tropical, hardwood tree is abundantly found in Chiang Rai and other parts of northern Thailand.

Its wood has a beautiful grain and is termite- and pest-repellent, thus it is the preferred wood for building houses and furniture. However, due to great commercial demand, the wood has become a rare and valuable commodity and the tree is now an endangered and protected species. Therefore, the import, export, and trading of teak in Thailand are strictly controlled.

There are various types of teak and the most highly priced and popular is the Golden Teak, or “sak thong” in Thai, whose wood has a beautiful golden color. Propagated by seed, teak has a growing season of only four months from May to August. Teak flowers, borne in loose clusters at the tips of the stems, are white and small, with a pleasant smell.

Fruits are round and green and come in clusters, each fruit containing 1-3 seeds which are ovate and marble-white. Teak also has great medicinal value and is widely used in traditional medicine in India. The decoction of bark and leaves is used as a remedy for diabetes; the bark is a bitter tonic and used as a remedy for fever.

Teak trees can live to over 100 years and the so-called “Millennium Teak,” found in Nam Pad, Uttaradit province, is believed to be the largest teak tree in the world. It is 1,500 years old with a girth of 1,011cm and a height of 36.6 meters.