Fast Growing Plantation Tree For Timber

[tim armstrong]

My wife recently saw a news item about a fast growing tree with a name that sounds like " dtak gool". Supposedly it can be harvested after 5 years, is used for building and furniture, and sells for 10,000 a tree. It has fairly large and ovoid shaped leaves. Don't have anymore details. Apparently it grows widely in Asia. Can this be true, and has anyone heard of it ? or something similar. I'm sceptical, but I'm constantly surprised in Thailand. Tim

[MrSquigle]

was this it... http://www.paulowniatrees.com.au/

[sibeymai]

my understanding is that the rotation for Paulownia is about 12 years.

[tim armstrong]

was this it... http://www.paulowniatrees.com.au/

No, it wasn't Paulownia, but thanks for the info. I've seen them grow in Oz, impressive but I'm not sure they suit this climate. If I find out more I'll post the detail. Tim

[sbk]

Well, if you have a good connection and lots of patience this site lists alot of the important timber trees in Thailand

UNEP-WCMC trees database. I've sorted it for Thailand--it lists the common Thai name as well--but you have to click on each tree.

[ozzydom]

was this it... http://www.paulowniatrees.com.au/

No, it wasn't Paulownia, but thanks for the info. I've seen them grow in Oz, impressive but I'm not sure they suit this climate. If I find out more I'll post the detail. Tim

Tim, Paulownia is native to China ,Laos and Vietnam , there are very large plantations in Laos your description certainly fits them, it supposedly puts on more board feet per annum than any other known tree used for timber production,I think the Neem grows quicker but is not used for timber.

[tim armstrong]

was this it... http://www.paulowniatrees.com.au/

No, it wasn't Paulownia, but thanks for the info. I've seen them grow in Oz, impressive but I'm not sure they suit this climate. If I find out more I'll post the detail. Tim

Tim, Paulownia is native to China ,Laos and Vietnam , there are very large plantations in Laos your description certainly fits them, it supposedly puts on more board feet per annum than any other known tree used for timber production,I think the Neem grows quicker but is not used for timber.

Thanks SBK and OzzyD for the info - I'll follow it up. Maybe it was Paulownia after all. If I find another one I'll let you all know.

[ozzydom]

was this it... http://www.paulowniatrees.com.au/

No, it wasn't Paulownia, but thanks for the info. I've seen them grow in Oz, impressive but I'm not sure they suit this climate. If I find out more I'll post the detail. Tim

Tim, Paulownia is native to China ,Laos and Vietnam , there are very large plantations in Laos your description certainly fits them, it supposedly puts on more board feet per annum than any other known tree used for timber production,I think the Neem grows quicker but is not used for timber.

[ozzydom]

Sorry about the double post, b*$#&+ computer hung up.

[lannarebirth]

I guess it's a softwood? How is it's resistance to bugs once it is lumber?

edit: Here's the Wilki blurb:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia

Edited November 19, 2007 by lannarebirth

[MrSquigle]

Don't know about that, not many softwoods are any good against bugs, particulalry the lovely termite.

We have a tree in Oz which is so god dam_n hard, teak is supposedly one of the hardest, but this tree I remember cutting one down one day, using them for fence posts and yard railings. A chainsaw becomes blunt quickly on this tree and I went to put the axe back into the stump, a common place to leave an axe around a work site so as not to lose it or damage it on stones etc.

The axe bounced of the stump so quick it nearly cam right back into my head.

We also put this tree as posts directly into the ground, no tar, creosate or any protection whatsoever against termites and this was in termite country, mounds all around the posts basically.

I am stumped for the name, but 'gidgee' rings a bell.

[Likenitstill]

My wife recently saw a news item about a fast growing tree with a name that sounds like " dtak gool". Supposedly it can be harvested after 5 years, is used for building and furniture, and sells for 10,000 a tree. It has fairly large and ovoid shaped leaves. Don't have anymore details. Apparently it grows widely in Asia. Can this be true, and has anyone heard of it ? or something similar. I'm sceptical, but I'm constantly surprised in Thailand. Tim

Tim,

Did you ever get to the bottom of what kind of tree this is? What is the actual Thai name?

Thanks,

Dave

[gondarman]

My wife recently saw a news item about a fast growing tree with a name that sounds like " dtak gool". Supposedly it can be harvested after 5 years, is used for building and furniture, and sells for 10,000 a tree. It has fairly large and ovoid shaped leaves. Don't have anymore details. Apparently it grows widely in Asia. Can this be true, and has anyone heard of it ? or something similar. I'm sceptical, but I'm constantly surprised in Thailand. Tim

maybe this link could help you find what you are looking for:

www.agroforestrycentre.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/index.asp

[chownah]

Teak is not particularly hard. It resists bugs through its resins....another example of a soft wood that resists bugs is cedar.

A list of hardnesses of woods used for flooring:

WOOD SPECIES-- RATING

Douglas Fir 660

Southern Yellow Pine (shortleaf) 690

Southern Yellow Pine (longleaf) 870

Black Cherry 950

Teak 1000

Black Walnut 1010

Heart Pine 1225

Yellow Birch 1260

Red Oak (Northern) 1290

American Beech 1300

Ash 1320

White Oak 1360

Australian Cypress 1375

Hard maple 1450

Wenge 1620

Peruvian Walnut 1630

African Pedauk 1725

Hickory 1820

Pecan 1820

Purpleheart 1860

Jarrah 1910

Merbau 1925

Santos Mahogany 2200

Mesquite 2345

Brazilian Cherry 2350

I found this list at:

http://www.floorfacts.com/hardwood-floors/...dness-chart.asp

[tim armstrong]

My wife recently saw a news item about a fast growing tree with a name that sounds like " dtak gool". Supposedly it can be harvested after 5 years, is used for building and furniture, and sells for 10,000 a tree. It has fairly large and ovoid shaped leaves. Don't have anymore details. Apparently it grows widely in Asia. Can this be true, and has anyone heard of it ? or something similar. I'm sceptical, but I'm constantly surprised in Thailand. Tim

Tim,

Did you ever get to the bottom of what kind of tree this is? What is the actual Thai name?

Thanks,

Dave

G'day Dave,

I'm still working on it. My wife is still convinced its not Paulownia. This after I've searched every Paulownia site on the web, and started to think this might be the one. Incidentally I think Paulownia are resistant to bugs, but I'm not so sure about ants. I'll keep looking for the other one if it exists.

[MrSquigle]

Did not know teak resisted bugs via its oils and not hardness.

Anyone know what the english name for Makah is ??

[tim armstrong]

My wife recently saw a news item about a fast growing tree with a name that sounds like " dtak gool". Supposedly it can be harvested after 5 years, is used for building and furniture, and sells for 10,000 a tree. It has fairly large and ovoid shaped leaves. Don't have anymore details. Apparently it grows widely in Asia. Can this be true, and has anyone heard of it ? or something similar. I'm sceptical, but I'm constantly surprised in Thailand. Tim

maybe this link could help you find what you are looking for:

www.agroforestrycentre.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/index.asp

I have found the tree!!

Thanks gondarman, the site you mentioned was very useful. Indeed it seems to have evry tree in thailand listed by its English sounding name. dam_n it, my wife was sort of right -again! The tree in question is called 'Takoo" in Thai/English. Its botanical name is Anthocephalus Cadamba. Its native to Indonesia and other SE asian countries.and has other local names. It is a fast grower, and thrives in coastal lowland with plenty of water. But the wood is soft and used mainly for pulp. The agroforestry site has all the detail, including photos. However, it takes longer to mature than Paulownia, and doesn't seem to produce the same quality timber. I will investigate sources of Paulownia seedlings in Thailand. Thanks again to you all.

[mobile69]

Anyone know the Thai name for Paulownia? Looks an interesting tree - I would like to plant a few fast growing trees along one edge of our land. Like the large leafed tropical trees, but teak is a slow grower.

[JimmyCA]

Anyone know what the english name for Makah is ??

Indian

[John 1]

Mr Squigle,

The name of the tree you are thinking of in Queensland could be the Iron bark hard as nails.

[sbk]

Anyone know what the english name for Makah is ??

Indian

Pahudia

Latin name "Afzelia Xylocarpa Craib" (Caesalpinioideae, Pahudia cochinchinensis). Family: Leguminous, A. Siamica, Apocynaceae Common names: Makha Wood, Maka, Afzelia Burl, Burl Wood, burled wood, Makamong, makhamong, Makhaa Burl, Beng, Ma-kha-yai, Makaa-Mong and monkey pod wood. Origin: S.E. Asia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma. Burl Wood is a hard woody hemispherical outgrowth on a tree strongly and heavily built.[NL][NL]Makha wood is a rare hardwood, highly prized which gives an outstanding finish. The wood is hard, heavy and dense and develops a beautiful patina as it ages. The wood is finely figured and highly valued for it's attractive and luxury-class red wood. It's mainly used in furniture industry, flooring, trim and construction of fine musical instruments. It's also used in cabinetry, home building and sculpture. This beautiful timber is used for cabinet work and wood carvings, as well as for construction of bridges, house posts, etc. The tree grows in the deciduous forest.[NL][NL]Makha is considered as a large-sized tree with an average life of 200-300 years. It can reach 30 meters in height and more than a meter in diameter. The seed pulp is used in making cigarettes and the bark is used in traditional herbal health drinks. The buried wood near the base of the trunk is especially valued. An old Makha tree can measure up to almost two meters in diameter. It has a light brown or brownish pink bark. The wood is very durable, and used mainly for burly constructions, such as a post, sleeper, or structure of a sailing boat or ship, etc., or can be used as a gun's stock, part of a musical instrument, such as a drum. It has a very precious burl. Its burled grain stems from a damage to its trunk caused by an insect's bite or mould. It automatically produces the burl to rehabilitate itself. The burl normally grows out close to its root or a few meters higher up. This special grain without any conduit can be as large as one meter wide; but normally it is considerably a small piece of wood, compared to the whole tree. To get a large piece will take almost a generation. Therefore, large piece is extremely difficult to get. Due to the limited wood supply in Thailand, Makha products are normally not made in large quantities. Each piece is made by hand and hand-rubbed to enhance the beauty of its unique burled grain.

http://usauniquelythai.com/Types_Of_Wood1.aspx

[chownah]

Yeah! Makha trees. The gov't under Toxin was giving them away and I've got three of them growing and also some Pradhu trees which I think grow faster and make a really gorgeous red wood which is excellent for flooring. Ask around at the local forestry office and they should know something about it.

Chownah

[egg]

Don't know about that, not many softwoods are any good against bugs, particulalry the lovely termite.

We have a tree in Oz which is so god dam_n hard, teak is supposedly one of the hardest, but this tree I remember cutting one down one day, using them for fence posts and yard railings. A chainsaw becomes blunt quickly on this tree and I went to put the axe back into the stump, a common place to leave an axe around a work site so as not to lose it or damage it on stones etc.

The axe bounced of the stump so quick it nearly cam right back into my head.

We also put this tree as posts directly into the ground, no tar, creosate or any protection whatsoever against termites and this was in termite country, mounds all around the posts basically.

I am stumped for the name, but 'gidgee' rings a bell.

sounds a lot like iron bark Mr Squigle