5 Trees That Termites Hate

As humans are selective of our food, termites are also particular about the trees they eat. They love some trees and hate some trees.

If you have a termite infestation problem, one way to resolve it is to grow some of the trees they hate.

You can also buy furniture made of these termite-deterring wood and use them in your house construction.

So, what are these trees that deter termites? Keep reading the guide to find out!

In the following sections, we will identify five trees termites hate and discuss the reason for their termite-deterring properties. Also, we will highlight practical ways to prevent their attack/infestation.

We will then tie everything together by answering frequently asked questions about termite infestations. Enjoy the read!

5 Trees Termites Hate

Termites are valuable as they help recycle dead matter, such as plants and trees. But that’s not enough to permit them in your environment.

Although beneficial to the ecosystem, termites are one of the greatest nightmares of homeowners.

Once around, these insects do not know the difference between the wood for feeding and the expensive wood used for your building construction. They mistake any wood for dead trees and feed on them.

Although you’ve tried many tricks to deter them, there are a few more you can do:

You can grow the trees they hate in your environment or use their wood for your house construction.

Below, we consider five of these termite-deterring trees:

1. Redwood Tree

The Redwood Tree is one of the tallest trees in the world, reaching heights up to 380 ft. Before logging and deforestation began, they grew up to 400 ft and sometimes 427 ft.

They are found in California and even have nature parks named after them. These trees are famous for their exquisite beauty, fire resistance, and durability.

What we love most about them, though, for the context of our discussion, is that termites hate them. This appeal makes them resistant to termite attacks, especially when appropriately treated.

The Redwood Tree has tannic acid in its bark, serving as a termite repellant. Its heartwood is very dense and has some tannic acid on its surface. This acid makes the tree a BIG NO to termites.

Redwood Trees can also be pressure-treated when processed into pieces of wood for building and furniture. That makes them even more impervious to termite attacks.

2. Teak Tree

The Teak Tree is a magnificent tree located in South and Southeastern Asian countries such as India, Myanmar, and Indonesia.

Teak is native to these countries. However, it is also in Africa and the Caribbean. These countries grow the tree majorly for export.

The Teak Tree is a hardwood-type tree preferred for home construction and furniture making. The reason for this cannot be far from its high density, durability, and water resistance.

Termites generally hate the Teak Tree because they dislike the Redwood Tree. Like the Redwood Tree, the heartwood of teak trees is too dense and difficult for termites to chew through.

You can further enhance Teak wood’s resistance against termites by pressure-treating it. Pressure treatment subjects wooden items to preservatives that deter pests like termites from attacking them.

3. Mahogany Tree

The Mahogany Tree is quite famous for all the right reasons. It is found naturally in South American countries such as Brazil, Peru, Dominican Republic, etc.

Many Mahogany trees are also in plantations across Asia and Africa. The tree is loved much for the quality of wood extracted from it.

Mahogany wood is precious and sought after as it has a variety of applications. Its fine grain and high resistance make it suitable for most woodwork projects. It is excellent for furniture production as well as musical instruments.

Termites hate Mahogany because of its high density, which makes it almost impossible to chew. Its heartwood is quite dense. Treating the mahogany wood after production makes it more resistant to termite attacks.

4. Cypress Tree

Cypress trees are coniferous trees that grow in various parts of the world. They are common in the United States, Southern Africa, and Asia.

It is one of the best wood options for furniture production and home construction. Cypress trees are very dense, making them difficult for termites to eat through.

In addition to its density, the cypress tree produces a concentrate known as cypressene.

Some furniture manufacturers use cypressene as a coating for other termite-prone wood. The reason for this is that it has strong smell termites detest.

The cypress wood, especially the heartwood, can be used without coating, pressure heating, or other protective spray methods. This is because cypressene acts as a natural repellant.

5. Cedar Tree

The Cedar Tree is native to Lebanon, the Western Himalayas, and East Asia. It thrives in mountain climates and high-altitude areas. It can grow to lengths of 35 ft.

This tree species is high quality and suitable for home construction and building. People used it back in time to build temples and tall buildings.

It has a very dense heartwood, making the wood resistant to termite attacks as it cannot eat through it.

Cedarwood has an extra layer of protection to its dense surface. Its core secretes allelochemicals such as terpenoids and hydroxamic acids, which act as a form of natural repellant.

Other Termite Prevention and Control Measures

Termites are responsible for damage in over 600,000 homes annually in the United States.

Repairs for this damage exceed 5 billion dollars yearly, and about 1 billion dollars is spent on termite infestation prevention.

Termites are no joke, but the following methods can prevent them:

• Keep dead or decaying wood/trees far away from homes.
• Prevent moisture from accumulating near the homes.
• Prevent wood from touching the ground.
• Ensure to fill up cracks in foundations and concrete floors from which termites or bugs can get into the house.
• Employ the services of professional pest control companies to perform routine checks and treatments.

Conclusion

Termites are one kind of destructive creature you don’t want in and around your home.

While there are several ways to keep them at bay, planting the trees they hate and using their wood is cheap and has long-term effects.

Generally, termites feed on dead or decaying wood. They go for trees high in cellulose, which their body systems digest and convert to glucose.

These wood-chewing creatures hardly attack living trees, except for some species, such as the Formosan termite.

Termites would generally steer clear of hardwood trees like the ones discussed.

However, they will do all they can to attack softwood trees such as pine, fruit, palm, and sick or dead trees. One reason this is so is the high cellulose content in softwoods.

If you don’t want termites sharing your home with you, you better carefully select the wood for your furniture, floors, etc.

That said, you don’t have to throw away existing softwood furniture. You can treat and coat them with repellants instead.