Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera)

Also known as: Chinese Tallow, Chinese tallowood

Chinese tallow tree is a deciduous, ornamental tree with drooping branches. It out competes native plants and is poisonous to people and animals.

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How does this weed affect you?

Chinese tallow trees grow quickly and:

• outcompete native plants
• reduce food and shelter for native animals
• are poisonous to people and some animals
• change the soil nutrient levels which enhances their own seed germination and growth, suppressing other plants

Human poisoning

Chinese tallow trees have a milky sap that is toxic to people. Ingestion can cause nausea and vomiting. Skin contact can cause irritation. Always wear protective clothing when treating plants.

What to do if a person is poisoned:

• If the patient is unconscious, unresponsive or having difficulty breathing dial 000 or get to the emergency section of a hospital immediately.
• If the patient is conscious and responsive call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or your doctor.

Livestock poisoning

Chinese tallow tree leaves and immature berries are mildly toxic to cattle and horses. The milky sap in the leaves can irritate the lips and eyes and large quantities can cause diarrhea. However, cattle and horses rarely eat this plant. Sheep and goats sometimes eat the leaves of young trees with little toxic effect.

What does it look like?

Chinese tallow trees are deciduous and grow up to 15 m high. The canopy has long, drooping branches up to 4–5 m wide.

Leaves are:

• dark green above paler below, turning yellow, orange, purple and red before falling from the tree in autumn
• heart-shaped with a pointed tip
• 3–8 cm wide and 3–7.5 cm long
• smooth along the edges
• alternate on the stem
• attached to the branch by a stalk up to 6 cm long.

Flowers:

Individual plants may have just male flowers or both male and female flowers. Where present, female flowers are at the base of the cluster. Flowers are:

• greenish yellow
• in clusters at the end of branches
• on slender spikes 8–14 cm long
• obvious in late spring and early summer.

Fruit are:

• hard rounded capsules
• green when young, black when mature
• up to 1.2 cm long and 1.4 cm wide
• split into 3 sections, with up to 3 seeds per fruit
• present from late summer to autumn.

Seeds are:

• whitish with a chalky coating
• 7–8 mm long and 5–7 mm wide.

Trunks are:

• grey to brown
• rough with furrows that run lengthways.

Where is it found?

In NSW, most infestations are in the North Coast and Hunter regions. Plants have also been found in the Greater Sydney region. 

Chinese tallow tree was originally introduced to Australia as an ornamental tree and has been planted in streets and gardens in southeast Queensland and northern NSW. This tree is still sold by some nurseries under its previous scientific name, Sapium sebiferum.

Chinese tallow tree is native to China and has naturalised in Japan, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Europe, Martinique, Sudan and the USA.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Chinese tallow trees grow in temperate regions with warm winters and subtropical climates. They grow best in wet areas including the edges of rivers, lakes, streams, swamps and ditches. Trees can grow in:

• full sun and partial shade
• both drought and flood conditions
• a wide variety of soil types including saline soils.

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Chinese tallow tree during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2026)
  These records are made by authorised officers during property inspections under the Biosecurity Act 2015. Officers record the presence of priority weeds in their council area and provide this to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Records reflect the presence of the weed on the date of inspection.
  
  

How does it spread?

Chinese tallow tree is still planted as an ornamental garden plant.

By seed

Mature trees can produce up to 100,000 seeds per year. Seeds can remain viable for at least 2 years. Birds and flowing water spread the seeds.

By plant parts

Cut or burnt trees regrow from the stump and suckers grow from the roots.

References

Lemus, R. (2025). Invasive Species in Pasture Systems: Chinese Tallowtree. Publication Number: P3185Mississippi State University Retrieved 10 January 2025 from:

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/publications/invasive-species-pasture-systems-chinese-tallowtree

Miller, J.H. 2003. Nonnative invasive plants of southern forests: A field guide for identification and control. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-62. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station.

PlantNET (2014). Flora Online module of PlantNET. Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 10 January 2025 from https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Triadica~sebifera

Velez-Gavilan J. (2024). Data Sheet: Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree). Global Invasive Species Database Retrieved 10 January 2025 from: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.48351

More information

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Control

Chinese tallow tree has a milky sap that is toxic to humans. Always wear protective clothing when treating plants.

Manual control

Small plants and seedlings can be manually removed. Roots should be fully removed using this method as trees can quickly regenerate from root suckers. Manual removal is best conducted when the ground is soft and plants are easier to remove without breaking the root.

Herbicide control

Best methods of herbicide treatment are with cut stump or stem injection application. This can be applied at any time of the year. Always monitor control efforts. Treat any shoots that have re-generated from the stump.

Trees treated with herbicide can make the foliage more attractive to stock. Remove livestock from treated areas to avoid possible poisoning.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Glyphosate 360 g/L with Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: Tank mix of 1:1.5 of glyphosate plus 1 g of metsulfuron-methyl in 1 L of water
Comments: Stem injection method.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Picloram 44.7 g/L + Aminopyralid 4.47 g/L (Vigilant II ®)
Rate: Undiluted
Comments: Cut stump for small plants: Apply a 3–5 mm layer of gel onto stems less than 2 cm diameter. Apply 5 mm layer on stems above 2 cm diameter. Stem inject trees: Make evenly spaced cuts 1.5-2 cm deep around the trunk. Apply a 5 mm layer of gel over the lower surface of the cut.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Hunter An exclusion zone is established for all land in the region, except the core infestation which includes all urban centres of the Hunter region.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Entire Hunter Local Land Services region: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Exclusion zone: Notify local control authority if found. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Core infestation: Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value.
North Coast Exclusion (eradication) zone: Bellingen Shire LGA, Clarence Valley LGA, , Lord Howe Island, Nambucca Valley LGA. Core infestation (containment) zone: Ballina Shire LGA, Byron Shire LGA, Coffs Harbour City LGA, Kempsey Shire LGA, Kyogle Shire LGA, Lismore City LGA, Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA, Richmond Valley LGA, Tweed Shire LGA.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Whole of region: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Exclusion zone: Notify local control authority if found. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. Core infestation: Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value.
	*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here

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Reviewed 2025