Borneo Teak, Merbau
Intsia palembanica

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

Intsia palembanica or commonly known as Borneo Teak is a tree growing up to 50 m tall with trunk diameter of up to 120 cm. It can be found in forests in East Asia. Young seeds are edible. The bark and wood yields brown and yellow dyes used for coloring mats and clothes. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, durable and resistant to fungi, wood borers, and termites. It is used for high-grade construction work, interior finishing, panelling, parquet flooring, furniture, etc.

Intsia palembanica is an evergreen Tree growing to 80 m (262ft) by 60 m (196ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Height (m): 80

Where it is found

Forests, often occurring near the coast but also found inland at elevations up to 1,000 metres.

E. Asia - Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Young seeds are sometimes eaten.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 1

Bark and leaves are used medicinally.

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses: Brown and yellow dyes are obtained from the bark and wood. They are used for colouring mats and clothes. The heartwood is orangey-brown, becoming dark red-brown or dark brown when exposed to the light; it is clearly demarcated from the 5 - 8cm wide band of white or pale yellow sapwood. The texture is coarse but even; the grain interlocked or wavy. The wood is heavy; hard to very hard; strong; durable, being resistant to fungi and dry wood borers, and moderately resistant to termites and ocean water. It seasons slowly, with only a slight risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is stable in service. The wood works well but has a fairly high blunting effect, stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring; gluing is correct; the wood takes a very fine polish. It is used for high-grade construction work, interior finishing, panelling, parquet flooring, furniture, railroad ties and beams.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Furniture: A few miscellaneous uses that do not fit easily into other headings.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

A tree of the moister lowland tropics found most commonly near sea level, though it can succeed at elevations up to 450 metres. It grows best in areas where the minimum temperature does not fall below 17°c and the maximum is no higher than 33°c. It is susceptible to frost. It tolerates an annual rainfall in the range of 1,500 - 2,300 mm. The following notes are taken from Intsia bijuga, and are likely to be more or less true for this species. Prefers a position in full sun. Prefers a very well-drained soil. Plants are very tolerant of saline soils and salt-laden winds. Established plants are moderately drought tolerant.

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Borneo Teak, Merbau

Synonyms

Afzelia bakeri Prain Afzelia palembanica (Miq.) Baker Intsia bakeri (Prain) Prain Intsia plurijuga H