Teak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Teak
Teak foliage and seeds
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Tectona
Species:	T. grandis
Binomial name
Tectona grandis L.f.

Flowers at Ananthagiri Hills, in Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Flower, fruit & leaves of Tectona grandis in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

U Bein Bridge Amarapura, Myanmar. The longest teak bridge in the world at 1.2 km (0.75 mi) in length.

Teak is a special kind of hardwood tree. It grows in warm, tropical places. Its scientific name is Tectona grandis. People also use the word "teak" to talk about the wood that comes from this tree.

Teak trees are originally from South and Southeast Asia. You can find them mainly in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar (also known as Burma). But they also grow in many other countries, like those in Africa and the Caribbean. Myanmar produces a lot of the world's teak wood.

The name "teak" comes from the word theka or tekka in the Malayalam language. This language is spoken in the Malabar Coast region of India. Teak trees were even mentioned in old Tamil writings from the 7th century!

What Teak Trees Look Like

Teak is a very large tree. It is a deciduous tree, which means it loses its leaves every year, just like some trees do in autumn. Teak trees often grow in forests mixed with other hardwood trees.

The leaves of a teak tree are quite big and papery. They often feel a bit hairy on the underside. Teak trees also have small, white flowers. These flowers have a nice smell.

Images for kids

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  Teak defoliator in Kerala

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  Teak tree in Panchkhal valley in Nepal

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  Tree in new leaves in Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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  Teak table

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  Teak garden armchairs

See also

In Spanish: Teca para niños