Bombax malabaricum
Ailanthus malabaricum Alstonia scholaris Symplocus spicata
6. Wood used for sports goods: Cricket bats, Hockey sticks, tennis rackets are made out Morus alba, Salix tetrasperma, Thespesia populnea.
7. Musical instruments : Many musical instruments like flute are made out of wood of Bambusa spp, others like Tectona grandis, Switentia mahagony are also used
8. Fire wood: Fire wood is provided by practically all trees which have a sufficient amount of secondary wood ex. Tamarindus indica, Mangifera indica, Acacia spp., Anogeissus latifolia, Prosopis juliflora are common source of fire wood.
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
Aini Artocarpus hirsutus
Yellowish brown
595 kg/m³
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala
Elastic, close-grained, and strong. It takes good polish.
It can be used under water. It is used for ordinary building construction, structural work, paving, furniture, etc.
Arjun Terminalia arjuna
Dark brown
870 kg/m³
Central India It is heavy and strong. It is used for beams, rafters, posts, etc.
Axlewood Anogeissus latifolia
930 kg/m³
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
It is very strong, hard and tough. It takes a smooth finish. It is liable to cracking .
Babul Acacia nilotica Whitish red
835 kg/m³
Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat
It is strong, hard and tough.
It takes up a good polish. It is used in bodies and wheels of bullock cart, agricultural instruments, tool handles, well curbs, etc.
Bakul Mimusops elengi
Reddish brown
880 kg/m³
Some parts of North India
It is close-grained and tough.
It is used for making cabinets.
Bamboo Family Poaceae, tribe Bambuseae
Throughout
India, especially Assam and West Bengal
It is flexible, very strong and durable. It is used for scaffoldings, thatched roofs, rafters, temporary bridges, etc.
Banyan Ficus Brown 580 kg/m³
Throughout India
It is strong and durable only under water. It is used for tent poles, well curbs, etc.
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
Benteak Lagerstroemia parviflora
675 kg/m³
Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
It is strong and takes up a smooth surface. It is used for building constructions, boat building, furniture, etc.
Bijasal Pterocarpus marsupium
Light brown
800 kg/m³
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa
It is coarse-grained, durable and strong. It is difficult to work. Termite do not easily attack it. It is used for ordinary building
construction, Cart wheels, etc.
Casuarina Casuarina spp. Reddish brown
765 kg/m³
Tamil Nadu It grows straight. It is strong and fibrous. It is, however, badly twisted. It is used for scaffolding, posts for temporary structures, etc.
Coconut Cocos nucifera Reddish brown
Throughout coastal India
Takes polish. Requires preservative treatment. Used as poles, piles, furniture and as framwork in concrete construction.
Deodar /Cedrus
Cedrus deodara
Yellowish brown
560 kg/m³
Himalayas, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
It is the most important timber tree providing soft wood. It can be easily worked. It possesses distinct annual rings. It is moderately strong. It is used for making cheap furniture, railway carriages, railway sleepers, packing boxes, structural work, etc.
Guava Psidium spp. Yellowish brown
560 kg/m³
Himalayas, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
It is the most important timber tree providing soft wood. It can be easily worked. It possesses distinct annual rings. It is moderately strong. It is used for making cheap furniture, railway
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
carriages, railway sleepers, packing boxes, structural work, etc.
Hopea Hopea parviflora
Light to deep brown
1010 kg/m³
Tamil Nadu, Kerala
It is extremely strong and tough. It is difficult to work.
It is durable and not likely to be damaged by white ants. It can be seasoned easily. It is used for ordinary house construction, railway sleepers, boat building, etc.
Indian Elm Ulmus spp. Red 960 kg/m³
Throughout India
It is moderately hard and strong. It is used for door and window frames, carts, etc.
Iron wood Mesua ferrea Reddish brown
1040 kg/m³
It is durable. It is very hard and is not easily worked. It even resists penetration of nails. It is used for ordinary house construction, bridges, piles, agricultural
instruments, railway wagons, railway sleepers, etc.
Irul Xylia xylocarpa
835 kg/m³
Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu
It is very hard, heavy and durable. It is difficult to work. It requires slow and careful seasoning. It is used for railway sleepers, agricultural instruments, paving blocks, heavy construction, etc.
Jack Artocarpus spp.
Yellow, darkens with age
595 kg/m³
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
It is compact and even grained. It is moderately strong. It is easy to work. It takes a good finish. It maintains its shape well. It is used for plain furniture, boat construction, well curbs, door panels, cabinet making, musical instruments, etc.
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
Jarul Lagerstroemia flos-reginae
Light reddish gray
640 kg/m³
Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra
It is hard and durable. It can be easily worked. It takes a good finish. It is used for house construction, boat building, railway carriages, cart making, scaffolding, etc.
Kathak Artocarpus heterophyllus
Yellow to deep brown
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
It is heavy and hard. It is durable under water and in damp conditions. It cracks, if exposed directly to sun.
White ants do not attack it. It is used for piles, platforms of wooden bridges, door and window panels, etc.
Laurel Terminalia tomentosa Combretaceae
Dark brown
880 kg/m³
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
It is strong, hard and tough.
It is likely to crack and to attack of dry rot. White ants do not attack it. It takes a smooth finish. It is used for house construction, boat construction, railway
sleepers, structural work, etc.
Mahogany Swietenia spp. Reddish brown
720 kg/m³
It takes a good polish. It is easily worked. It is durable under water. It is used for furniture, pattern making, cabinet work, etc.
Mango Mangifera spp. Deep gray 655 kg/m³
Throughout India
It is easy to work. It
maintains its shape well. It is moderately strong. It is used for cheap furniture, toys, packing boxes, cabinet work, panels for doors and
windows, etc.
Mulberry Morus spp. Brown 650 kg/m³
Punjab It is strong, tough and elastic.
It takes up a clean finish. It can be well seasoned. It is turned and carved easily. It is used for making baskets
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
and sports goods etc.
Oak Quercus spp. Yellowish brown
865 kg/m³
It is strong and durable. It posses straight silvery grains.
It is used for preparing sport goods.
Palms Arecaceae Dark brown
1040 kg/m³
Throughout India
It contains ripe wood in the outer crust. The colour of this ripened wood is dark brown. It is strong and durable. It is fibrous. It is used for furniture, roof covering, rafters, joists, etc.
Pine Pinus spp. It is hard and tough except
white pine which is soft. It decays easily, if it comes in contact with soil. It is heavy and coarse grained. White pine is light and straight grained. It is used for pattern making, frames for doors and windows, paving material, etc. White pine is used in the manufacture of match stick.
Red ceder Cedrella spp. Red 480 kg/m³
Assam, Nagpur It is soft and even grained. It is used for furniture, door panels, well curbs, etc.
Rose wood (black wood)
Dalbergia latifolia
Dark 790 kg/m³
Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa
It is strong, tough and close- grained. It is handsome and takes up a high polish. It maintains its shape well. It is available in large sizes. It is used for furniture of superior quality, cabinet work, ornamental carvings, etc.
Sal Shorea robusta Brown 800 kg/m³
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,
It is hard, fibrous and close- grained. It does not take up a good polish. It requires slow and careful seasoning. It is
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa
durable under ground and water. It is used for railway sleepers, Ship building, bridges etc.
Sandal wood
Santalum spp. White or Red
930 kg/m³
Karnataka, Assam, Nagpur, Bengal
It gives out pleasant smell. It is used for agricultural instruments, well curbs, wheels, mallets, etc.
Satin wood
Chloroxylon swietenia
Yellow 960 kg/m³
Central and Southern India
It is very hard and durable.
It is close grained. It is used for furniture and other ornamental works.
Simul, Semal
Bombax spp. White 450 kg/m³
All over India It is loose grained. It is an inferior quality of wood. It is light in weight. It is used for packing cases, match industry, well curbs, cheap furniture, etc.
Siris Albizia spp. Dark brown
North India It is hard and durable. It is difficult to work on. It is used for well curbs in salty water, beams, posts, furniture, etc.
Sissoo Dalbergia sissoo
Dark brown
770 kg/m³
Mysore, Maharashtra, Assam, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa
It is also known as shisham.
It is strong and tough. It is durable and handsome. It maintains its shape well. It can be easily seasoned. It is difficult to work, but it takes a fine polish. It is used for high class furniture,
plywoods, bridge piles, sport goods, railway sleepers, etc.
It is a very good material for decorative works and carvings.
Spruce Picea spp. 480
kg/m³
It resists decay. It is not affected by the attack of marine borers. It is liable to shrink, twist and wrap. It is
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
used for piles under water, airplanes, etc.
Sundri Heritiera fomes
Dark red 960 kg/m³
Bengal It is hard and tough. It is difficult to season and work.
It is elastic and close grained.
It is strong and durable. It is used for boat building, piles, poles, tool handles, carriage shafts, etc.
Tamarind Tamarindus indica
Dark brown
1280 kg/m³
All over India It is knotty and durable. It is a beautiful tree for avenue and gardens. Its
developement is very slow.
But it ultimately forms a massive appearance. Its fruit is also very useful. It is used for agricultural instruments, well curbs, sugar mills, carts, brick burning, etc.
Teak Tectona grandis
Deep yellow to dark brown
625 kg/m³
Central India and Southern India
It is moderately hard. It is durable and fire-resistant. It can be easily seasoned and worked. It takes up a good polish. It is not attacked by white ants and dry rot. It does not corrode iron fastenings. It shrinks little. It is among the most valuable timber trees of the world. It is used for house
construction, railway
carriages, flooring, structural work, ship building,
furniture, mallets, agricultural instruments, well curbs, piles, etc. Its use is limited to superior work only as it is comparatively very costly.
Toon Toona ciliata Reddish brown or dull red
530 kg/m³
Assam It can be easily worked. It is light in weight. It is used for furniture, packing boxes, cabinet making, door panels,
Common name
Botanical Name
Colour Density Location Characteristics and usage
etc.
BAMBOO
Bamboo, a member of the grass family, is one of the most useful and versatile plants in the world. It is best known for its use as a construction material and is grown for shade, animal fodder and food. It is also highly valued as a landscaping plant.
The origin of the word “bamboo” is not very clear. No definite records are available until 400 B.C. about the reference to bamboo. The canes of plant are called by the Indians as “mambu”. Many species of bamboo are native to India. The occurrence of bamboo in variety of habitats has found its use to human kind in a variety of ways. Its more than 1250 species are so diverse that there is a bamboo to suit any need.
This natural resource plays a major role in the livelihood of rural people and in rural industry. Bamboo also known as green gold, is sufficiently cheap and plentiful to meet the vast needs of human populace from the
"child's cradle to the dead man's bier". That is why sometimes it is known as "poor man's timber".
Bamboos has versatile uses as building material, paper pulp resource, scaffolding, food, agriculture implements, fishing rods, weaving material, substitute for rattan, plywood and particleboard manufacture.
Pickled or stewed bamboo shoots are regarded as delicacies in many parts of the country. The major user of bamboo in India is paper industry, which consumes sizeable proportion of the total annual bamboo production. Bamboos are good soil binders owing to their peculiar clump formation and fibrous root system and hence also play an important role in soil and water conservation.
Bamboo serves as major resource material for rural artisans for making variety of products. It is one of the very versatile resources that meet the day-to-day needs of farming communities across the globe.
Bamboos are grown around habitats and also in home gardens in recent times. Generally, the temperate bamboos tend to be runners while the tropical bamboos tend to be clumpers. Running bamboo spreads underground, often by sending shoots several feet from the original culm. Clumping bamboo sends up new shoots only a few inches from the culm, creating a tight clump. Though the clump size will increase yearly, it does not spread as extensively as running types.