Top 15 Hardwood Trees to Plant in the

Philippines for Profit

February 10, 2018 by Raden

Tree planting in the Philippines is not only an enjoyable hobby but also a profitable business and
can helf preserve our depleting ecosystem.
Although the forestry business in the Philippines is mostly dominated by Gmelina and
Mahogany, there are also other native Philippine forest trees that worth investing.

By planting Philippine native trees, you are not only making money, but also helping preserve
these threatened tree species.

Below are some of the threatened endemic Philippine tree species (except for mahogany,
gmelina, and acacia), with their scientific names that worth preservation and planting.
Mahogany plantation in Silay City, Neg. Occ
#1. Gmelina (Gmelina arborea)
Although Gmelina is not a native Philippine tree, it is the most important and widely distributed
species of tree in the Philippine due to its economic importance and fast growing. Gmelina can
grow upto 15 meters on steep lands and can reach 12-inch diameter in just five years.

#2. Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)

Honduran or big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), with a range from Mexico to southern
Amazonia in Brazil, is the most widespread species of mahogany and the only true mahogany
species commercially grown today. Both Mahogany and Gmelina are the top choices of
commercial growers but the latter grows slower than the former and can be harbested after 15 to
20 years.

#3. Narra (Pterocarpus indicus)

Narra is the most important and one of the most expensive lumbers in the Philippines. It is
considered a national tree and althought the tree species is considered “vulnerable”, it can be
found anywhere.

It is a premium timber species suitable for high grade furniture, lumber and plywood for light
construction purposes. It is also used for cartwheels, wood carving and musical instruments

#4. Molave (Vitex parviflora)

Molave (mulawin, himulawon in Hiligaynon) is a very important ang high value Philippine
native tree. Its lumber is mainly used in premium furniture, tool handles, and wood carvings, and
heavy construction. It is one of the most expensive lumbers in the country and is very hard to
find.

#5. Yakal (Shorea astylosa)

Shorea astylosa is endemic to the Philippines, which is known as yakal in Filipino
language.Yakal is a medium to large tree about 25 to 30 meters tall. Its wood is hard and dark
brownish-yellow. Branchlets are rather slender, blackish, and slightly hairy. Yakal is often use as
substitute to narra as it is cheaper than the later. It is used in furniture, stairs, and carvings.

#6. Toog (Petersianthus quadrialatus)

Petersianthus quadrialatus (also called Toog and Philippine Rosewood) is a emergent tropical
rainforest tree species. In the Visayas region called Kapullan, in the Samar and Leyte areas –
Magtalisai. It is an indigenous tree species in the southeastern Philippines and one of the largest
tree species in the Philippines islands.

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Leaves are medicinal especially in treating skin rashes. Seeds are edible and taste like groundnut.
Because its wood is hard and difficult to cut and is as strong as molave (Vitex parviflora), its
highly preferred for heavy construction such as bridges, beams, joists, poles, wood piles of
wharves and piers, veneer, and plywood, also for door faces and door components like jambs,
stops and casing.

#7. Apitong (Dipterocarpus grandiflorus)

Dipterocarpus grandiflorus is a critically endangered common medium hardwood tree in South-
East Asia and India. Its wood is used to produce good quality charcoal, paper pulp, and timber
sold under the Keruing designation. Its gum is used locally as a waterproofing varnish. The tree
itself is very useful for nitrogen fixing, erosion control, soil improvement, and watershed
regulation.

Apitong is commonly found in the Northern Negros Forest Reserve in Negros Occidental and is
highly protected.

#8. Almaciga (Agathis philippinensis)

Agathis philippinensis (in Tagalog: Almasiga, Almaciga or Dayungon) is a species of large
Agathis tree native to the Philippines, Sulawesi and Halmahera, where it occurs in upland
tropical rainforest at 450-2,200 m altitude, rarely as low as 250 m in northern Luzon.

The tree is commonly used throughout the Philippines, Melanesia and Australasia as an
enrichment crop. Despite being limited by altitude constraints it is tolerant of most different soil
densities, though it requires good drainage and prefers acidic soils. It has a special tolerance for
shallow, infertile soils. The tree is therefore used to support areas which do not experience
adequate crop growth and is also planted inside of existing plantations to replace existing trees.

Almaciga lumber is best used in picture frames as it has a very fine texture.

#9. Lawaan (Shorea)

There are 2 species of Lawaan (lauan) tree in the Philippines – the red and white lawaan. The red
lawaan has an important commercial value and is used on house construction. This writer has a
red lawaan tree growing in his backyard and is about 15 years old now.

#10. Amugis (Koordersiodendron pinnatum)

Koordersiodendron pinnatum (Ranggu) is a species of tree in the Philippines, locally known as
amugis, which is a relative of the cashew tree. This red wood is commonly used for building
houses and ships.

#11. Acacia (Acacia confusa)

Acacia confusa is a perennial tree native to South-East Asia. Some common names for it are
acacia petit feuille, small Philippine acacia, Formosa acacia (Taiwan acacia) and Formosan koa.
It grows to a height of 15m. The tree has become very common in many tropical Pacific areas,
including Hawaii, where the species is considered invasive

Its uses include chemical products, environmental management and food and drink. The bark
may be ground into a powder and saturated into water to create a tea, or may be spread onto
various foods as a spice and taste enhancer. The wood has a density of about 0.75 g/cm³.In
Taiwan, its wood is used to make support beams for underground mines. The wood is also
converted to charcoal for family use.
#12. Nato (Palaquium luzoniense)
Palaquium luzoniense (also called Red Nato) is a species of plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is
endemic to the Philippines. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Nato is commonly found in the Visayas and is one of the most important lumber used in house
construction.

#13. Lanite (Kibatalia gitingensis)

Lanite is medium-sized tree. Bark is gray or dark drown, rough and ridged when mature, smooth
when young. Lanite is commonly used in house construction and furniture.
Distribution: Luzon, Mindoro, Culion, Palawan, Negros, Mindanao
Economic Importance: Wood used for furniture and funnel products.
Ecological Status: Depleted due to logging and kaingin-making.

#14. Balayong (Afzelia rhomboides)

Balayong or tindalo is very hard wood and of medium size. It is a species of legume in the
Fabaceae family. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It is threatened by
habitat loss.

A tindalo tree was planted by Pres. Manuel L. Quezon during the inauguration of Bacolod City,
Negros Occidental Philippines as a charter city on October 19, 1938, with Mayor Alfredo
Montelibano and Gov. Valeriano Gatuslao.

Wood is good for carvings, furniture, high-grade construction work. Xylocarpa bark is used for
tanning cattle hides, goatskin, and sheepskin. Young seeds are edible due to fatty cotyledons.
#15. Ipil (Intsia bijuga)
A large tree growing up to 50m in height and a diameter of 150cm. Bark is smooth, sometimes
flaky, and grayish green with occasional whitish patches. Leaves are shiny green. Observed to
have white flowers in June.

Its fruit and bark has reported medicinal properties. Wood used in interior decor and furniture
making.