Narra Tree

The National Tree of the Philippines, Narra is a majestic reddish hardwood tree reflecting the same resiliency and strength as that of the Filipino people. It is an enormous tree with asymmetrical corrugated trunk growing around 40 meters high, two meters trunk in diameter or can even get larger as it grows older. This trunk is vast, firm, and durable, producing valuable timber for house flooring, wall and furniture making. Narra has a thin flaky bark making it likely to have limited fire tolerance. It has well-developed near-surface lateral roots that grow massive as the tree matures. Narra’s leaves are compound-pinnate, bearing about 12 alternate leaflets. Each leaflet is ovate to elliptic in shape with a semi-pointed tip and develops up to 55 centimeters long, 11 centimeters width. Narra produces countless small fragrant yellow flowers usually in April or May, but these flowers are normally short-lived and fall off nearly all at once creating a bright and vibrant yellow surface in the surrounding area. Moreover, Narra also produces fruits/pods which is one of its distinguishing features. These pods are disc-shaped, flat and have winged margins. Young pods are green and hairy then turn brown and smooth or nearly so as they mature. Mature pods are often woody or corky. Located in the protruding central part of the pod is the seed.

Narra can be propagated from seeds, cuttings, grafting, and tissue culture. It tolerates shallow, sodic, and infertile soils and grows best in locations with full sun exposure.

Narra is highly valued because of its beautifully figured and richly colored timber with excellent working and technical properties. The in-demand wood of old narra is known for its resistance to wearing and marring, rose-like scent, conspicuous growth rings with reddish color, and most importantly, its durability making it ideal for floorings, cabinetry, construction, furniture making, and decorative carvings. Furthermore, it is seawater resistant and that’s why it is preferred for boat-making. Narra wood is also used for the manufacture of musical instruments, inlays, watches, billiard tables, sculptures, piece-works, and other similar products.

Narra Tree Lifespan

Narra trees typically reach maturity at the age of 5 years. This is a perennial tree that can live for around 50 to 150 years.