Wood Properties and Their Variations in Teak

Teakwood is popular in the international market due to its excellent durability, good aesthetic properties and mechanical resistance. Teak has been the priority species in reforestation programs for many years because of its unique features. Since 1900, this species has been planted in areas where it grew naturally. In the present century, it is established as commercial plantations in Africa, America and Oceania, covering a great variety of site conditions. Cloning techniques and intensive silviculture revolutionized teak cultivation. All these factors have resulted in generation of wood with diverse qualities and properties. Thus, this chapter examines variations in teakwood qualities and properties in relation to countries where it grows naturally, variations between plantation and naturally grown wood, variations across countries, sites, provenances and clones. In addition, this chapter addresses aspects of the wood properties related to the commercially known “super teak” trees, heritability, genetic gain and biotechnology. The sources of wood variation are numerous, including anatomical, physical and mechanical properties. The main source of variation is whether the wood comes from natural forests or planted trees. In this regard, intensive silviculture is the most successful way to achieve rapid commercial prospects. Despite the fact that teak has been introduced in many countries, little is known about its wood variations, and wood properties of juvenile teakwood are scarcely studies. It is evident that our knowledge of wood produced under improvement programs is still inadequate, and the same can be applied to genetics and wood engineering, which has only recently begun.