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OK, so this is a bit obscure. I’m hoping someone has some knowledge on this. We have a fairly big stand of teak tress on our property that our view goes down into, and it’s pretty ugly. Hardly any other plants are growing underneath.
I don’t want to cut the trees, because to do so would remove a major monkey corridor, and it would take years to replace with new trees.
I have planted a few things, and they are doing OK, but not at all thriving.
Any suggestions? I really want to make it look lush and green there, but before I spend a bunch of money and time doing so, I would like to know if I can make it happen.
I have looked on line, and spoke with local plant people, but I’m not getting any convincing information. The teak trees just really seem to limit any growth below them.
Is this a chemical in the leaves?
Thanks for any suggestions.No-one seems to jump on this, so I’ll have a go. The process of one plant [or animal] chemically inhibiting another plant [or animal] is called allelopathy, and yes, teak is allelopathic to other plants. Do a Google search on ‘teak allelopathy’ and you will get more than 8500 hits.
HTH8)Suggest you add some above ground planters at the base of the teak trees, to the one’s in the immediate view, and plant in these.
The other thing to think about is the fact that Teak is an import from Asia. I suspect a lot of things there grow under the trees. Just a guess. I don’t suggest you import anything that hasn’t already been imported. . .
Teak had been planted a lot in Costa Rica and other Tropical countries for timber and in some reforestation projects. But you are much better off with indigenous species. Mixed species is better than mono-culture. There are some great trees in CR that are becoming rare due to replanting common species and fast growing timber species. Often you have to seek out a tree then beg, borrow or steal seeds.
To create a biodiverse view that will also attract wildlife you might consider a tier system with shorter species in front of taller, then fruit trees, then flowering shrubs, then flowers.
I suggest you start thinning the teak trees. The long thin poles are useful for all kinds of construction projects, and the farther apart the trees are the more light comes in and the more natural the environment, the more plants will grow underneath them. Plant a little bit of everything and see what sticks.
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