Gamhar / White Teak
Gmelina arborea
Also known as Coomb Teak, Candahar Tree, Cashmeri Teak, Gamari, Kambari
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan & more
- Flowering
- February-June
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Gmelina arborea
- Genus
- Gmelina
- Family
- Verbenaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests and in the plains
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Distribution
- India, Sri Lanka, Himalayas, Philippines, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, Malesia, Indonesia, China; introduced in many parts of tropical Africa and South America
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat
- Flowering & fruiting
- February-June
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Typical of the Verbenaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Verbenaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- गम्हड़ Gamhar, Gmelina arborea
- Nepali
- खमारी, गम्भारी
- Bengali
- গামারি, গামার, গাম্বার
- Tamil
- Kumalaamaram
- Telugu
- Peddagumudutekku, గుమ్మడి టేకు
- Kannada
- ಶಿವನಿ Shivani, ಶಿವನೆ Shivane, ಸೀವನ್ನಿ Seevanni ಕೂಲಿ Kooli
- Malayalam
- Kumbil, കുമ്പിൾ, കുമിഴ്
- Marathi
- शिवण Sivan, शिवण
Gamhar in India
This fast-growing tree, known as गम्हड़ Gamhar (Hindi), Kumalaamaram (Tamil), Peddagumudutekku (Telugu), ಶಿವನಿ Shivani (Kannada), Kumbil (Malayalam), शिवण Sivan (Marathi), is a widely planted timber species. Gmelina arborea is found across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, both in natural forest and forestry plantations.
Uses
Its light, pale, easily worked wood is used for furniture, plywood, packing cases and musical instruments — the pale colour of the wood is behind its 'white teak' nickname, though it's unrelated to true teak.
How to Identify Gamhar
A deciduous tree with large, heart-shaped leaves. Clusters of tubular, brownish-yellow flowers appear before the new leaves, followed by small, egg-shaped fruit that ripens yellow.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is White Teak called in different Indian languages?
- गम्हड़ Gamhar (Hindi); Kumalaamaram (Tamil); Peddagumudutekku (Telugu); ಶಿವನಿ Shivani (Kannada); Kumbil (Malayalam); शिवण Sivan (Marathi); গামারি (Bengali).
- Is gamhar related to teak?
- No — despite the nickname 'white teak', Gmelina arborea belongs to a different family than true teak (Tectona grandis); the name refers only to its similarly pale, useful wood.
- Why is it popular for plantations?
- It grows fast, tolerates a range of soils, and produces useful timber relatively quickly, making it a common choice for forestry plantations.
Verbenaceae
Verbena/Teak family
Gamhar belongs to the Verbenaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Verbenaceae family →Snap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Verbenaceae
View all Verbenaceae →Sources: GBIF — Gmelina arborea (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Gmelina arborea (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)