List of Myanmar Native Plants

Myanmar’s forests, river valleys and coastal zones host a wide variety of plant life shaped by monsoon patterns and varied elevation. Local knowledge, timber use, and shifting land use all influence which species thrive in different parts of the country, making a compact reference list useful for students, gardeners and conservationists alike.

There are 45 Myanmar’s native plants, ranging from Agarwood to White cheesewood. For each entry you’ll find below the fields organized as Scientific name,Height (m),Range in Myanmar so you can quickly compare species by taxonomy, typical size and geographic distribution — you’ll find below.

How can I use this list to identify plants when I’m out in the field?

Start by matching the plant’s height and range from the list to what you observe, then confirm with the scientific name; local common names vary widely. Carrying a simple photo guide, noting habitat (forest, riverbank, coastal) and comparing leaf and bark traits will speed identification and reduce confusion.

Where can I check whether any of these species are protected or regulated?

Check Myanmar’s Forest Department publications and the IUCN Red List for conservation status; some species (for example Agarwood/Aquilaria) are also subject to international trade rules like CITES. Local regulations and recent assessments provide the most reliable guidance.

Myanmar’s Native Plants

Images and Descriptions

Teak

Iconic timber tree prized for durable heartwood used in furniture and boats. Common in central dry zone but overexploited locally; valuable for restoration and sustainable forestry initiatives, with some natural stands declining from logging.

Burmese padauk

Hardwood prized for fine furniture, veneer and traditional carving. Distinctive seasonal flowering makes it culturally notable; heavily logged in parts of Myanmar, so remaining native populations merit protection and sustainable harvest.

Gurjan

Large emergent dipterocarp used for timber and resin; resin used locally for caulking and medicine. Important canopy tree of lowland forests, vulnerable to logging and habitat conversion in coastal and delta regions.

Keruing

Resin-producing tree common in dry deciduous forests, used locally for timber and fuel. Important for seasonal forests’ ecology; local overcutting and conversion to agriculture threaten some populations.

Pyinkado

Extremely hard, termite‑resistant timber valued for heavy construction and tool handles. Native central dry-forest species that regenerates slowly; overexploitation has reduced mature trees in many areas.

Sal

Culturally and economically important timber tree of mixed deciduous forests. Supports traditional uses and forest livelihoods; habitat clearance and selective logging have reduced native stands in places.

Ironwood (Hopea)

Dense hardwood used in boatbuilding and construction; a classic lowland rain-forest species. Overharvesting and forest fragmentation have left populations locally depleted; conservation and replanting recommended.

Agarwood

Source of fragrant agarwood (perfume, incense) when infected; highly prized and illegally overharvested. Wild populations are heavily exploited and conservation action is urgent to curb poaching.

Schima

Hardwood tree of montane and hill forests used for timber and firewood. Often forms mixed stands; regeneration can be slow and some hill populations are impacted by shifting cultivation.

Frangipani/Magnolia champaca

Fragrant flowers used for perfumery and religious garlands; also shade and ornamental tree. Native wild populations are valued culturally; habitat loss threatens some local populations.

Crape myrtle

Attractive flowering tree used ornamentally and for light timber; bark and leaves have traditional medicinal uses. Widespread but declining locally where riverine habitats are altered.

Banyan

Large strangling fig that forms vast canopies; keystone species supporting many frugivores. Culturally revered and often protected in villages, but old trees are vulnerable to land clearance.

Sacred fig

Sacred fig used in religious practice; provides abundant fruit for wildlife. Common in disturbed and riparian sites; valued culturally and often preserved despite habitat changes.

Cluster fig

Produces large fig fruits eaten by people and many animals; has medicinal uses in folk medicine. Widespread riparian species that supports biodiversity but suffers where waterways are altered.

Red mangrove

Dominant mangrove stabilizing shorelines and providing fish nursery habitat. Valued locally for poles; mangrove clearance for development and aquaculture has reduced its extent in parts of Myanmar.

Avicennia mangrove

Salt-tolerant pioneer mangrove used in local fuel and coastal protection. Important for early mangrove succession; coastal development pressures have degraded many stands.

Mangrove apple

Fast-growing mangrove used widely in coastal restoration; produces edible fruits and supports fisheries. Valuable for rehabilitation projects, but some natural stands face clearance.

Nipa palm

Estuarine palm; sap produces sugar and local alcohol, thatch from leaves used traditionally. Key for coastal livelihoods and sediment trapping; vulnerable to reclamation and coastal development.

Areca palm

Source of betel nut, culturally and economically significant across Myanmar. Found wild and cultivated; management is essential to avoid genetic erosion from overharvest.

Clumping bamboo

Large bamboo used for construction, scaffolding and crafts. Rapidly regenerating when managed, but local overharvest affects supply and associated biodiversity.

Dendrocalamus bamboo

Robust bamboo used for poles, housing and tools. Important rural resource; sustainable harvest practices maintain stands and prevent erosion.

Beleric

Produces medicinal fruit used in traditional remedies and as a dye; timber used locally. Common in mixed forests but impacted by land‑use change and fuelwood collection.

Haritaki

Fruit widely used in traditional medicine systems; tree tolerates disturbed sites. Harvesting for medicine is common, generally sustainable but intensified collection can stress local populations.

Lannea

Multi-purpose tree used for dye, fodder and light timber. Common in dry woodlands but local clearing and grazing reduce regeneration in some areas.

Axlewood

Timber and tannin source important to rural economies; often coppiced. Populations decline where forests are cleared or burned frequently.

Dry dipterocarp Shorea

Resinous dipterocarp of dry forests used for timber and resin. Integral to dry forest ecology; vulnerable to logging and conversion to agriculture.

Mangrove mangrove apple

Mangrove tree with edible fruit and important nursery habitats for fish. Supports coastal communities but is threatened by mangrove clearance and development.

Kusum

Oilseed tree producing seed oil used for cooking, lamp oil and soap; also timber. Local populations have declined in areas of intensive land conversion.

Cajeput

Source of cajeput oil used medicinally; common in seasonally inundated wetlands. Valuable for traditional medicine and restoration, but wetland drainage threatens local stands.

Orchid tree

Attractive flowering tree used ornamentally and for traditional medicine and tannin. Common in disturbed areas; resilient but local habitat change can reduce wild occurrences.

Lotus

Sacred aquatic plant used for food, medicine and ritual; seeds and roots are edible. Wetland drainage and pollution threaten natural populations and wetland habitats.

Tea (wild)

Wild tea relatives occur in northern hills; source of cultivated tea and local tea strains. Wild populations are important genetic resources threatened by forest clearance and plantation expansion.

Cycad

Native cycad with ornamental and cultural uses; seeds are toxic without processing. Populations are vulnerable to collection and habitat disturbance; conservation measures needed.

Khasi pine

Pine forming montane and submontane stands used for timber and resin. Fires, logging and conversion pressure montane forests where it occurs.

Rhododendron

Showy flowering shrub/tree used ornamentally and for honey production. Montane habitat specialist; some populations impacted by grazing and clearance.

White cheesewood

Medicinal bark and light timber tree used in traditional medicine; common in secondary forests. Local overharvest for medicine can impact wild stands in accessible areas.

Indian gooseberry

Produces amla fruit prized in traditional medicine and cuisine. Trees found wild and cultivated; wild genetic resources merit protection from overharvest.

Burflower tree

Flame-of-the-forest with bright orange flowers used for dye and fodder; culturally important. Resilient but clearing of dry woodlands reduces natural populations.

Screw pine

Pandanus leaves used for weaving mats and roofs; fruits edible in some areas. Important coastal stabilizer; coastal development reduces natural stands.

Indian elm

Hardy tree used for timber and traditional medicine. Often found in disturbed sites but local cutting and land conversion reduce mature trees.

Indian laurel

Used for timber, firewood and traditional remedies; aromatic bark used locally. Common but habitat fragmentation affects genetic continuity in some regions.

Jungle jalebi

Nitrogen-fixing tree providing fodder and browse; fruits eaten locally. Often common in degraded lands; considered valuable for agroforestry and erosion control.

Sissoo/Indian rosewood

Valued hardwood for furniture and tool-making; important riparian species. Overharvesting and illegal trade threaten wild populations in some river valleys.

Indian cork tree

Fragrant white flowers used ornamentally and medicinally; light timber. Common in disturbed habitats but mature trees are reduced by urban development.

Makha

Produces edible oil-rich seeds used locally; also tap sugar. Important for rural livelihoods; habitat clearance and overcollection have reduced wild populations in parts of Myanmar

Native Plants in Other Countries