Chinese Tallow
Place of Origin: China and Japan
Place of Harm: Southern US and California
First Introduced: 1772
Harms: Local trees and grasses, people, cattle, birds
Other Names: Chinese tallowtree, popcorn tree, Florida aspen, chicken tree, candleberry tree
Taxonomy: Malpighiales, Euphorbiaceae, Euphorbiaceae
The Chinese Tallow is a small, monoecious, deciduous tree, supposedly introduced by Ben Franklin in South Carolina. Preferring hydric soils (but tolerating all), it most commonly grows in bottomlands, old fields, coastal prairies, and riparian areas. It is shade and flood tolerant. It is widely planted because of its beautiful fall colors (all hues). If broken, the stems contain an irritative white sap. Chinese tallow may grow to 30 ft. and 3 ft in diameter. The problem with Chinese tallow is that it has the ability to crowd out native plants. This also means they destroy the natural habitats of many animals. Chinese tallows are very hardy, able to survive floods, droughts, and fire, and able to quickly regrow from a cut stump and even roots. They quickly reproduce and grow, creating an entire forest. Another problem is that they also shade out cattle grass. The toxins in the leaves and berries might also affect soil usability and can harm humans. Cutting can be used only as a temporary method as it grows back. Pulling the seedlings by hand can stop the spread, however, it will not kill the entire population. Imazapyr , 2,4-D, and triclopyr (10-20% bb, 2% fol.) are good herbicides to use on non-mature trees, with foliar spray, injection, or cut-stump. The only way to really kill them off is to exhaust each tree’s reserves over many years. Fire can hold the tallows back, but tallows can kill off the fuel species so that the fire extinguishes quickly and no tallows are really harmed. Chinese tallows are started with a white seed, which forms in a cluster of 3 inside the waxy purple capsule. Tallows can reproduce as soon as 3 years, and can regrow from roots if topkilled. From April to June, the small yellow-green flowers emerge. From August to November, the fruits ripen, and the capsule splits. The seeds often remain attached through winter. Chinese tallows can live for 25-100 years, and will produce 450,000 seeds every year, which are spread by water and birds. Similar native species include Ditrysinia fruticosa (same subtribe). The waxy fruit shells are used in soap making, machine oils, and fuel oil. It is a leading biodiesel crop (it is the third, after algae and oil palm). It also might provide habitats for certain bird species. Sebifera means “wax bearing”. Wake, Brunswick, Columbus, Pender, Dare, Craven, Carteret, Cumberland, Richmond, Union, Mecklenburg.
Place of Origin: China and Japan
Place of Harm: Southern US and California
First Introduced: 1772
Harms: Local trees and grasses, people, cattle, birds
Other Names: Chinese tallowtree, popcorn tree, Florida aspen, chicken tree, candleberry tree
Taxonomy: Malpighiales, Euphorbiaceae, Euphorbiaceae
The Chinese Tallow is a small, monoecious, deciduous tree, supposedly introduced by Ben Franklin in South Carolina. Preferring hydric soils (but tolerating all), it most commonly grows in bottomlands, old fields, coastal prairies, and riparian areas. It is shade and flood tolerant. It is widely planted because of its beautiful fall colors (all hues). If broken, the stems contain an irritative white sap. Chinese tallow may grow to 30 ft. and 3 ft in diameter. The problem with Chinese tallow is that it has the ability to crowd out native plants. This also means they destroy the natural habitats of many animals. Chinese tallows are very hardy, able to survive floods, droughts, and fire, and able to quickly regrow from a cut stump and even roots. They quickly reproduce and grow, creating an entire forest. Another problem is that they also shade out cattle grass. The toxins in the leaves and berries might also affect soil usability and can harm humans. Cutting can be used only as a temporary method as it grows back. Pulling the seedlings by hand can stop the spread, however, it will not kill the entire population. Imazapyr , 2,4-D, and triclopyr (10-20% bb, 2% fol.) are good herbicides to use on non-mature trees, with foliar spray, injection, or cut-stump. The only way to really kill them off is to exhaust each tree’s reserves over many years. Fire can hold the tallows back, but tallows can kill off the fuel species so that the fire extinguishes quickly and no tallows are really harmed. Chinese tallows are started with a white seed, which forms in a cluster of 3 inside the waxy purple capsule. Tallows can reproduce as soon as 3 years, and can regrow from roots if topkilled. From April to June, the small yellow-green flowers emerge. From August to November, the fruits ripen, and the capsule splits. The seeds often remain attached through winter. Chinese tallows can live for 25-100 years, and will produce 450,000 seeds every year, which are spread by water and birds. Similar native species include Ditrysinia fruticosa (same subtribe). The waxy fruit shells are used in soap making, machine oils, and fuel oil. It is a leading biodiesel crop (it is the third, after algae and oil palm). It also might provide habitats for certain bird species. Sebifera means “wax bearing”. Wake, Brunswick, Columbus, Pender, Dare, Craven, Carteret, Cumberland, Richmond, Union, Mecklenburg.
Essential Question
"Could a genetically engineered invasive species potentially be used in warfare?"