Chinese Tallow

Kristen Bowers and Andrea Lucky

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Edward F. Gilman, Deborah Hilbert, Edward F. Gilman, Dennis G. Watson, Ryan Klein, Andrew Koeser, Deborah R. Hilbert, andDrew C. McLean

Kenneth A. Langeland andStephen F. Enloe

An estimated 25,000 plant species have been brought into Florida for use as agricultural crops or landscape plants. While only a small number of these have become invasive, those that do can adversely affect native plant communities by competing for space and resources, disrupting hydrologic and fire regimes, or hybridizing with native species. They must be managed for the protection of native communities in natural areas. Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small is one of these invasive plant species.