Trees And Flood

[Francis Maube]

Not unsurprisingly I lost a couple of row of teak trees when the Kwai Noi river surge at the peak of the rainy season. The land slope down toward the river that can vertically surge as much as about 4 meters, that usually last only a few days but about 2 meters about normal is quite common for about 6 to 8 weeks. That 2 vertical meters translate to about 6 to 8 meters of slope, enough for a couple of rows or perhaps 3. Erosion is the concern although it looks like we are getting more alluvial deposit at the end of each raining season which is pretty good stuff, light clay with sand and since there are no industry upstream, free of nasty chemicals.

Can anyone suggest trees that could take flooding for up to 8 weeks, water for the rest of the year is not a problem. Again preventing erosion is the aim as opposed to produce any fruits, mind you good timber would be nice

Thanks.

[lannarebirth]

While you're waiting for smeone to pist that proper tree to plant, read and consider this regarding Vetiver grass:

http://www.agc.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/fg2/pdf/repo_g2.pdf

Properly planted, it will hold your bank from erosion. It's incredible stuff, with meter long roots.

You can get it for free or 1baht/plant at your local ag/foresty office.

Edited February 12, 2007 by lannarebirth

[chownah]

Don't really know of a tree that can take that much flooding...sounds like the row nearest to the river would be under 1.5 to 2 metres of water for 6 to 8 weeks...wow. You might look all along the river and see what's growing in this flood zone already and then get some starts or seeds to use at your place. If you don't see anything growing in the flood plane then probably there isn't anything that will......mangrove?

Chownah

Edited February 12, 2007 by chownah

[Pond Life]

The only thing that springs to mind is Pussy Willow, definatly grown in Thailand as i bought 50 12" tips/twigs from the Worrorot flower Market in Chiang mai.

I've stuck these in a muddy ditch hopeing they'll take, but will have to wait until I come home in a few weeks to see if any survived.

Anyway i think this willow likes marshy ground, dont know about being submerged tho.

[TizMe]

An Australian Melaleuca might do the trick.

It grows every where in swamps here.

ABC Gardening

The toughest one is Melaleuca quinquenervia, the cajeput tree. It grows equally happily in water, bog or dry soil. The spongy waterproof bark extends throughout the root system conducting oxygen to every extremity like a snorkel, which is what allows it to grow in water.

Subtropical Gardens

Edited February 12, 2007 by TizMe

[Makyai]

While you're waiting for smeone to pist that proper tree to plant, read and consider this regarding Vetiver grass:

http://www.agc.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/fg2/pdf/repo_g2.pdf

Properly planted, it will hold your bank from erosion. It's incredible stuff, with meter long roots.

You can get it for free or 1baht/plant at your local ag/foresty office.

lannarebirth,

what is the Thai name of this plant? If you know how to write it in Thai this would help me heaps when I go to the local ag/forestry office.

Thanks

Makyai

[lingling]

Lampuu / ลำพู (sonneratia caseolaris) may be what you need.

http://www.ku.ac.th/AgrInfo/thaifish/aqplant/aqpt134.html

Edited February 13, 2007 by lingling

[Pond Life]

Vetiver Grass = Yaa Fek

[Francis Maube]

Don't really know of a tree that can take that much flooding...sounds like the row nearest to the river would be under 1.5 to 2 metres of water for 6 to 8 weeks...wow. You might look all along the river and see what's growing in this flood zone already and then get some starts or seeds to use at your place. If you don't see anything growing in the flood plane then probably there isn't anything that will......mangrove?

Chownah

I did consider mangrove for a while but I believe they need a bit of sea water to thrive. On the other hand if they do grow, they tend to propagate rapidly and I am not sure that clogging up the river with mangrove would be very popular.

The neighbors are actually growing nothing on that band except bamboo which also propagate very quickly and become invasive. As a matter of fact they tend to grow nothing on their slope.

[Francis Maube]

Vetiver Grass = Yaa Fek

Thanks for the tip, it looks suitable for soil erosion in the circumstances I described but also for other part of the land.

[Francis Maube]

Lampuu / ลำพู (sonneratia caseolaris) may be what you need.

http://www.ku.ac.th/AgrInfo/thaifish/aqplant/aqpt134.html

If the link is correct Lampuu is cork tree. A quick search showed that among other properties it can be quite invasive, probably not what I am looking for.

By the way what happen to your trip to Kanchanaburi?

[chownah]

Don't really know of a tree that can take that much flooding...sounds like the row nearest to the river would be under 1.5 to 2 metres of water for 6 to 8 weeks...wow. You might look all along the river and see what's growing in this flood zone already and then get some starts or seeds to use at your place. If you don't see anything growing in the flood plane then probably there isn't anything that will......mangrove?

Chownah

I did consider mangrove for a while but I believe they need a bit of sea water to thrive. On the other hand if they do grow, they tend to propagate rapidly and I am not sure that clogging up the river with mangrove would be very popular.

The neighbors are actually growing nothing on that band except bamboo which also propagate very quickly and become invasive. As a matter of fact they tend to grow nothing on their slope.

I don't know what kind of bamboo your neighbor is growing but by far the majority if not all of the bamboo in Thailand is clumping bamboo and not spreading bamboo...it is not invasive. Bamboo is a valuable crop...I should hope that my clumps of bamboo would spread rapidly and become invasive...if it did I would make alot of money. If bamboo will grow there I recommend growing it......I doubt that bamboo would survive being under 1.5 to 2 metres of water for 6 to 8 weeks though....but if you say that your neighbor is growing it in those conditions then I guess its something that happens...I've never heard of bamboo growing like that....it never grows in the steams or canals here....I'm puzzled.

Chownah

[Francis Maube]

Don't really know of a tree that can take that much flooding...sounds like the row nearest to the river would be under 1.5 to 2 metres of water for 6 to 8 weeks...wow. You might look all along the river and see what's growing in this flood zone already and then get some starts or seeds to use at your place. If you don't see anything growing in the flood plane then probably there isn't anything that will......mangrove?

Chownah

I did consider mangrove for a while but I believe they need a bit of sea water to thrive. On the other hand if they do grow, they tend to propagate rapidly and I am not sure that clogging up the river with mangrove would be very popular.

The neighbors are actually growing nothing on that band except bamboo which also propagate very quickly and become invasive. As a matter of fact they tend to grow nothing on their slope.

I don't know what kind of bamboo your neighbor is growing but by far the majority if not all of the bamboo in Thailand is clumping bamboo and not spreading bamboo...it is not invasive. Bamboo is a valuable crop...I should hope that my clumps of bamboo would spread rapidly and become invasive...if it did I would make alot of money. If bamboo will grow there I recommend growing it......I doubt that bamboo would survive being under 1.5 to 2 metres of water for 6 to 8 weeks though....but if you say that your neighbor is growing it in those conditions then I guess its something that happens...I've never heard of bamboo growing like that....it never grows in the steams or canals here....I'm puzzled.

Chownah

Not sure also what kind of bamboo it is. It looks like a cross between rattan and bamboo, it is not the staight type although the neighbor on the other side as a clump of it but above the water line. None of them are doing anything with it save for the occasional cut what whatever need they might have. Both are definitely spreading.

[Francis Maube]

An Australian Melaleuca might do the trick.

It grows every where in swamps here.

ABC Gardening

The toughest one is Melaleuca quinquenervia, the cajeput tree. It grows equally happily in water, bog or dry soil. The spongy waterproof bark extends throughout the root system conducting oxygen to every extremity like a snorkel, which is what allows it to grow in water.

Subtropical Gardens

Looks pretty as well and migt add some biodiversity, any chance you would know the name in Thai?

Thanks,