Sagun / Teak Wood Tree
Tectona grandis
Also known as Indian Oak
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala & more
- Flowering
- April-September
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Tectona grandis
- Genus
- Tectona
- Family
- Verbenaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Moist deciduous forests and also raised in plantations
- Habitat type
- Forest, Cultivated
- Native to
- Southeast Asia and Malesia
- Distribution
- Tropical South Asia & Malaysia
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
- Flowering & fruiting
- April-September
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Recorded for Sagun.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Verbenaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- Sagun सगुन,सागौन sagaun,टीकवुड tikavud
- Bengali
- Saguna, সেগুন
- Tamil
- தேக்கு Tekku, தேக்கு
- Telugu
- టేకు, టేకు చెట్టు, టేకు చెట్లు
- Kannada
- ತೇಗ Tega, ತೇಗು Tegu, ಸಾಗವಾನಿ Saagavaani, ಸಾಗುವಾನಿ
- Malayalam
- തേക്ക്, ടെക്റ്റോണ ഗ്രാൻഡിസ്
- Marathi
- Sagwan सागवान, साग, टेक्टोना
- Gujarati
- સાગ
- Sinhala
- තේක්ක
Sagun in India
Teak is the king of Indian timber trees — Sagun सगुन (Hindi), தேக்கு Tekku (Tamil), టేకు (Telugu), ತೇಗ Tega (Kannada), തേക്ക് (Malayalam), Sagwan सागवान (Marathi). Tectona grandis is native to the country's deciduous forests and recorded across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, both wild and in plantations.
Uses
Its golden-brown heartwood is world-famous for furniture, doors, boats and railway carriages thanks to its strength, durability and natural resistance to termites and water. Teak is one of India's most important plantation timbers; minor parts have attributed traditional uses.
How to Identify Sagun
A large deciduous tree with very large, rough, broadly oval leaves (often the size of a dinner plate on young trees) that exude a reddish stain when crushed. It carries airy sprays of small white flowers and papery, inflated, four-chambered fruits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Teak wood tree called in different Indian languages?
- Sagun सगुन (Hindi); தேக்கு Tekku (Tamil); టేకు (Telugu); ತೇಗ Tega (Kannada); തേക്ക് (Malayalam); Sagwan सागवान (Marathi); Saguna (Bengali); સાગ (Gujarati).
- Why is teak wood so valued?
- Teak heartwood is exceptionally strong, durable and naturally resistant to termites and water, making it prized for furniture, doors and boatbuilding.
- How do you recognise a teak tree?
- By its very large rough leaves that stain red when crushed, plus sprays of tiny white flowers and papery inflated fruits.
Verbenaceae
Verbena/Teak family
Sagun belongs to the Verbenaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Verbenaceae family →Snap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Sagun or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Verbenaceae
View all Verbenaceae →Sources: GBIF — Tectona grandis (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Tectona grandis (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Tectona grandis (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)