Type of

LOCAL TREES
USED AS TIMBERS IN THE
PHILIPPINES

GIAN ANDREY D. MANALO

ARC-1203

WELL-KNOWN TREES IN THE PHILIPPINES:

Falcata (Paraserianthes falcataria)
Mangium (Acacia mangium)
Mahogany (Swietenia macrophyllla)
Bagras (Eucalyptus deglupta)
Para Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis)
Narra (Pterocarpus indicus)
Molave (Vitex Pinnata)
Toog (Petersianthus quadrialatus)
Ipil (Instia Bijuga)
 Falcata
(Paraserianthes falcataria)
ABOUT:
Paraserianthes falcataria (falcata) is a fast-
growing tree species, grown commercially in PROPERTIES:
the Philippines particularly in Bislig or in It is a medium-sized to fairly large
Surigao del Sur eventually spreading to tree up to 40 m tall. The bole is
nearby provinces. branchless for up to 20 m and up to
100 cm or sometimes more in
The tree species attract the diameter.
populace in the community
The color of the heartwood ranges
due to its suitability in the
from whitish to pale pinkish-brown
intercropping of coffee, cacao,
or light yellowish to reddish-
abaca, and root crops.
brown( in older trees)
The stability of the The wood is not durable when
market for its used outside. It is often highly
wood/timber was later vulnerable to attack by termites,
on realized, providing powder-post beetles and fungi.
adequate income for
the tree farmers. NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 5
(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY,
7=VERY LOW DURABILITY)
 Mahogany
(Swietenia macrophylla King)

ABOUT:
PROPERTIES:
Swietenia macrophylla is widely distributed
in the Amazon basin, on terra firme forests. It The sapwood is distinct but not
prefers clayey soils. The level of exploitation clearly demarcated from the
has led to the exhaustion of supplies. heartwood. The heartwood is
particularly in the northern parts of its range. reddish or pinkish brown when
It is listed as endangered freshly cut, turning into a deep rich
red brown color after exposure.
Mahogany tree information suggests
that wood is dense, and the tree can
It has high durability, and is
hold its own in strong winds. This
resistant to brown and white rot
makes it useful as a street tree, and
fungi. It is moderately resistant to
trees planted in medians form
dry-wood termites, but susceptible
attractive canopies overhead.
to marine borer attack.

NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 2

(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VEY
LOW DURABILITY)
 Bagras
(Eucalyptus deglupta)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
It is native to the Philippines and other The sapwood varies from pale
western Pacific islands. white to light pink. The heartwood
varies from light red to cocoa
Considered the Philippines' most bizarre brown.
tree, the Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus
deglupta Blume) or 'Bagras Tree' is Grain is partly straight, partly
popularly known because of its rainbow interlocked. The texture varies from
color palette, with its trunk revealing hues moderately coarse to coarse. The
of orange, blue, and green colors. heartwood has a moderate luster.

Eucalyptus deglupta grows It is moderately resistant to fungal

typically in pure stands, from the attack if exposed above the
sea level up to 1,800 m of ground, but liable to termite and
altitude. marine borer attack.

NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 3

(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
LOW DURABILITY)
 Mangium (Acacia mangium)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
Acacia mangium, a fast-growing tree native Sapwood is creamy brown and
to parts of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and heartwood is dark ash-yellowish
Australia, has been cultivated outside its brown, sometimes banded with
native environment and introduced into olive-green coloration.
humid tropical lowland regions of Asia, South
America and Africa over the last few Sapwood should always be
decades. considered as non-durable;
moderately to poorly durable
Acacia mangium is widely used
against fungus; susceptible to dry
in commercial plantations to
wood borers; susceptible to
provide products such as pulp,
termites. It presents high natural
firewood, charcoal, and
durability since it is not in contact
construction material.
with the ground

NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 5

(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
LOW DURABILITY)
 Para Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
Hevea brasiliensis is the Brazilian rubber tree Odor is unpleasant and has a very
(the tears tree), which secretes the original light chestnut color
rubber material. The rubber tree is of great
industrial importance, as it produces latex, The texture is average and wood
which is converted into rubber and about surface is naturally rich in luster.
90% of natural rubber is produced from the
rubber trees. NATURAL DURABILITY
Low durability; low resistance to
Harvesting of the rubber-
fungal attack
containing latex is done by
excising a thin shaving of bark
NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 6
on the trunk with special tapping
(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
knives.
LOW DURABILITY)
 Narra
(Pterocarpus indicus)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
Narra is a majestic reddish hard wood tree, Its odor resembles roses.
growing to 33 meters nigh and 2 meters in
diameter with an irregular fluted trunk. The sapwood is clearly
differentiated, pale straw colored.
In primary, and in some regions, The heartwood is deep blood-red
secondary forests at low and medium with almost black markings,
altitudes throughout the Philippines. alternatively honey colored with
and is grown from seeds and cuttings. reddish black markings, darkening
to dark brown.
It is distributed in Philippines,
Borneo, Myanmar, New Guinea, It is reportedly resistant to
and the Malay Archipelago. termite attack

NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 2

(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
LOW DURABILITY)
 Molave (Vitex Pinnata)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
Understorey tree up to 15 m tall and 38 cm . The heartwood is not clearly
Bark fissured, flaky, pale yellowish grey to differentiated from the sapwood.
brown; inner bark pale yellow becoming The wood is yellow brown to
green on exposure; sapwood soft yellow to greenish brown.
brown.
It has a very strong and durable
In secondary regrowth and wood, it is durable even in
scrub up to 400 m altitude. contact with water or soil. It is a
Usually on alluvial sites and grayish brown in color.
near or along rivers and
streams on clay soils. The fruits It is a very durable timber.
are eaten by birds and seeds NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 1
cannot germinate under the (1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
shade and need light to LOW DURABILITY)
germinate
 Gmelina (Gmelina arborea)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
It has no distinct odor
Gmelina is a fast-growing, unarmed, Gmelina arborea heartwood is
moderately sized to large deciduous tree slightly durable to extremely
with a wide spreading canopy with durable and highly resistant to
numerous branches forming a large shady moist soil exposures, requiring no
crown. preservative treatment.
It can grow from 3 - 30 metres tall,
sometimes even taller. The straight, However, the sapwood of the
cylindrical bole is commonly around species is considered non-durable
50cm in diameter, but specimens up and requires a preservation
to 140cm have been recorded treatment to increase its resistance
to attack by insects or fungi.
Resistance to termite attack is
variable.

NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 5

(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
LOW DURABILITY)
 Toog
(Petersianthus quadrialatus)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
The heartwood is pale red turning
It is a deciduous, medium-sized to fairly reddish-brown, sharply
large tree up to 40 m tall. The bole is straight, demarcated from the pale
cylindrical, branchless for 20 m, up to 100 cm sapwood
in diameter. Occasionally with buttresses up
to 2 m high. The texture varies from
moderately fine to moderately
Petersianthus quadrialatus grows
coarse.
scattered in primary rain forests at low
to medium altitude on well drained
The wood is durable for interior use
soils, near river banks or hill sides.
and slightly durable when exposed
to the weather or in contact with the
The grain is mostly
ground.
interlocked.

NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 6

(1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
LOW DURABILITY)
 Ipil
(Intsia bijuga)

ABOUT: PROPERTIES:
It has the characteristic odor when
It is a medium-sized to large tree up to 50 m fleshly cut, resembling that raw of
tall. The bole is branchless for up to 20 m and beans, and bitter taste.
up to 160 cm in diameter.
The sapwood is clearly
It is a lowland rain forest tree which differentiated, lighter pale yellow.
produces one of the most valuable The heartwood varies from
timbers of South East Asia. It is brownish gray through bronze to
common in lowland forests, in dark brown, darkening with age.
transitional zones behind mangroves.
It is very durable, but the sapwood is
It is distributed in the Indo- vulnerable to the fungi and insect
Malayan region, Indonesia, attack.
Philippines, and many of the
western Pacific islands as NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX: 2
well as in Australia. (1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY
LOW DURABILITY)