Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera)

Introduction:

Triadica sebifera is a tree in the Euphorbiaceae family which typically reaches a maximum height of 15m at maturity. It is adapted to a variety of disturbed sites and a wide range of soil conditions. Triadica sebifera aggressively displaces native plants and forms monospecific stands within decades of its appearance. It is also able to alter nutrient cycles by enhancing productivity in ecosystems by the addition of nitrogen and phosphorous from the rapid decay of its leaves which produce tannins. Triadica sebifera is shade, sun, drought, flood, freeze and salt tolerant and is also suspected of reducing nesting habitat for a variety of avian species. Management of this species is an arduous process and not suitable for all infested sites.

Occurs in:

Natural forests, planted forests, range/grasslands, ruderal/disturbed, wetlands.

Habitat description:

T. sebifera is adapted to a variety of disturbed sites and a wide range of soil conditions (alkaline, saline, or acid soils). It does best in alluvial forests, on low alluvial plains, and on rich leaf-molds, preferring well-drained clay-peat soils. T. sebifera tends

to grow in wetter sites and both species have the potential to grow rapidly. It rapidly invades grasslands that are only slowly invaded by native woody species.

Surveys conducted by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection demonstrate the increased spread of T. sebifera into disturbed and undisturbed, upland and wetland sites, with one large wetland site south of Gainesville, Florida having more than 10,000 T. sebifera trees that have become naturalized. Over half (57%) of Florida’s counties now have naturalized populations of the tree.

General impacts:

T. sebifera aggressively displaces native plants and forms monospecific stands within decades of its appearance in a prairie. In the Gulf Coast, much coastal prairie has been converted to T. sebifera woodland thickets. In prairie habitats T. sebifera competes with herbaceous species. Ideally, the native and alien species would be congeners, but T. sebifera is the only member of its genus in the Gulf Coast of Texas. Lack of herbivory may be responsible for T. sebifera’s unusually high performance and invasiveness.” The authors claim that typically native seedlings are browsed by vertebrates more frequently than T. sebifera seedlings.

T. sebifera is able to alter nutrient cycles. It may enhance productivity (or encourage eutrophication) in ecosystems by the

addition of nutrients (mainly nitrogen and phosphorous) from the rapid decay of its leaves. These leaves produce tannins, but it is unclear if T. sebifera produces other allelopathic compounds that may interfere with the germination of native North American species. Further, the presence of T. sebifera seems to favour non-native arthropods that may also negatively impact the native ecosystem.

Management information:

As with all prolific invaders, the key is to successful control is to prevent new infestations or to control them as soon as possible. T. sebifera has a high degree of reproductive vigor, a wide range of adaptability, and few pests and predators. It produces a large number of viable seeds that are readily dispersed by birds and by water, and which germinate at high rates in a wide range of conditions. If controlled during the early stages of invasion, the potential for successful management is high. The potential for large-scale restoration of wildlands where T. sebifera has become established, is probably low.

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