investment(money)

Teak is a very tall tree that grows to a height of more than 40 meters (131,24 feet). Its stem, usually round and straight, is wrapped by a thick cracked fibrous bark. The brown color of the young trees becomes grayish as they grow older.

In seasonal climates, like in Brazil, the species has a deciduous pattern, it sheds the leaves during the dry season of the year, and the new leaves sprout again with the first rains. The first leaves are reddish-brown when they sprout and become dark green in a short time.

After the leaves sprout, the tree grows vigorously. Growth decreases and stagnates during the rainy season and is renewed in the dry season. The characteristic seasonal growth cycle is responsible for giving teak wood its best properties.

In Brazil, teak flowering may be observed between the months of December and March. The flowers, white and small, are arranged in clusters of 700 to 3,500 units and only 1 or 2% develops into fruit.

The teak fruit consists of a fine membrane that covers a spherical structure with a 5 to 20 mm diameter. The nucleus of this structure has a hard shell that can store up to 4 seeds. Since seed removal is difficult the whole fruit itself is used as propagating material. Therefore, a sowed fruit may produce up to 4 little seedlings.

Even though it flourishes naturally in a wide variety of climates, teak trees grow better in regions characterized by an average yearly precipitation varying from 1,200 to 2,500mm, and a well defined 3-5 month dry season. The ideal temperature for their development is found in the tropics and the most adequate altitude is 700m. The species is frost sensitive. It prefers deep alluvial well-drained fertile soils, with high Calcium content and a pH ranging from 6.5 and 7.5. As a pioneer tree it requires abundant light for its development.