Sagwan (Teak) Tree (Tectona grandis): Where It Grows in India and How to Plant It
Tectona grandis
Sagwan or teak (सागवान, सागौन) is Tectona grandis, India's best-known timber tree, native to the forests of the peninsula and central India and reaching into southern Rajasthan. How to plant it and when, how to recognise it, how fast it grows, care for the first three years, and what to watch out for.
Planting calendar
- Central India · Monsoon · Jul, Aug
A guide: plant once the monsoon has wetted the soil.
- Northwest arid · Monsoon · Jul, Aug
A guide for the hills of southern Rajasthan only; the dry west and the Thar need regular watering.
- North plains (Indo-Gangetic) · Monsoon · Jul, Aug
A guide: plant early enough to root before the first cold nights; deep, well-drained soil only.
- West coast · Summer · Apr, May
A guide: stumps with the pre-monsoon showers, 4-6 weeks before the monsoon (Kerala Agricultural University).
- West coast · Monsoon · Jun, Jul
A guide: polybag or root-trainer seedlings after the south-west monsoon arrives (Kerala Agricultural University).
- South peninsula · Monsoon · Jun, Jul
A guide: with the first good rains; TNAU notes high success with pre-monsoon planting.
- East India · Monsoon · Jun, Jul
A guide: once the rains have settled.
- Northeast India · Monsoon · Jun, Jul
A guide: once the rains have settled; well-drained slopes only.
Sources: TNAU Agritech Portal (Forestry): Teak (Tectona grandis); Kerala Agricultural University, Centre for e-Learning: Teak planting (stumps April-May, containers June-July, pit 30 cm, 2 x 2 m, boundary 1 m)
This article was prepared with AI assistance and checked by the GreenEye team against the sources shown in each section.
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