Invasive Trees In The Houston Area In The Woodlands

[RedScare]

I cut down one of these nasty things last year. Because I live in the wooded Heights, some of my neighbors were quite upset that I cut down a tree. One even took photos for "evidence". The fact that all four branches of the tree had rotted from the inside meant nothing. I actually spent time on the internet researching how much trouble I might be in, since the tree was on the city easement.

Turns out the weed is banned in most southern states. There are numerous pleas to rid your property of them. The City of Houston has a list of approved native trees. Since this tree was borderline (20 inches diameter), and I replaced it with two native trees (Red Oak), I relaxed that I was not in danger. Later, an architect friend asked the City Arborist about my deed. His response: "If your friend had called us, we'd have cut it down for him!"

I still pull up saplings several times a year (my neighbor still has one), but happily my yard is Tallow-free.

[CDeb]

One (only?) good thing about new suburban lots: no tallow trees (at least not in my 'hood).

[cnote]

One (only?) good thing about new suburban lots: no tallow trees (at least not in my 'hood).

Well, Coles Crossing is new suburban and they went to great pains to save trees...including the Tallow!!!

There are quite a few in my neighbors yard and all around. I tell them they are invasive and should be cut down, they say no way and that some neighbors ask them what they are because they want one in the fall when they turn that beautiful red color. I pull saplings out of my yard often, though I have a large Sweetgum that probably cuts down on the Tallow saplings because they are just as voracious as the Tallow.

[CDeb]

Well, Coles Crossing is new suburban and they went to great pains to save trees...including the Tallow!!!

There are quite a few in my neighbors yard and all around. I tell them they are invasive and should be cut down, they say no way and that some neighbors ask them what they are because they want one in the fall when they turn that beautiful red color. I pull saplings out of my yard often, though I have a large Sweetgum that probably cuts down on the Tallow saplings because they are just as voracious as the Tallow.

In our neighborhood, aerial photos from before development began show there weren't a whole lot of trees on that land to begin with (although I'm sure there were some tallow in there). The only mature trees that the developer left were some pines. Everything else was planted by the developer.

[Pumapayam]

Well, Coles Crossing is new suburban and they went to great pains to save trees...including the Tallow!!!

There are quite a few in my neighbors yard and all around. I tell them they are invasive and should be cut down, they say no way and that some neighbors ask them what they are because they want one in the fall when they turn that beautiful red color. I pull saplings out of my yard often, though I have a large Sweetgum that probably cuts down on the Tallow saplings because they are just as voracious as the Tallow.

I had two of these within a few feet of my foundation, and I chopped them down back in 2004.

The roots still, up until recent, tried to grow back still with sprouts.

I think it is finally dead now.

[RedScare]

One (only?) good thing about new suburban lots: no tallow trees (at least not in my 'hood).

Well....right after I finished that post, I went into the back yard and noticed a new one growing just on the other side of my fence, in the neighbor's alley. I hope to convince them to let me cut it down. It is only about 8 feet tall right now...by the end of the summer, it will likely be twice that.

Here's to hoping.

EDIT: Actually, it is on the fence line, and behind their garage. Maybe a stealth move in the middle of the night will cure it. It IS in the alley, after all.

[CDeb]

Do it and blame it on the city. I'm sure you can be creative.

[houstonmacbro]

Has anyone had any luck with avocado trees? I know they grow quickly, but how do they fare the winter? Do any of yours bear fruit?

[cnote]

Has anyone had any luck with avocado trees? I know they grow quickly, but how do they fare the winter? Do any of yours bear fruit?

I used to worked for a brief time with a little Korean woman who grew many, many fruit trees at her home near 290 and Telge...including avocado that bore fruit. I ate some in guacamole and it was great, but this was also kind of her hobby, so I don't know what pains she went through to care for her fruit trees...

[plumber2]

Has anyone had any luck with avocado trees? I know they grow quickly, but how do they fare the winter? Do any of yours bear fruit?

I've got one growing up next to the house and it's about 15 ft. tall now. I grew it from a seed, but it bares not fruit because I did not graft it when it was young. I think the only reason it has survived is because it's up next to the south side of the house and I also live south of Dickinson Bayou amongst the dreaded tallows.

[woody_hawkeye]

Now that I have two trees downed in my yard and a mountain of brush, the challenge is its disposal. There are two trends of thought -(1) recycle for composting and (2) landfill. I am hoping the composting argument wins. Will advise when I know more.

Still have the biggest tree yet to cut down. It must be 30 or more feet tall.

[woody_hawkeye]

Now that I have two trees downed in my yard and a mountain of brush, the challenge is its disposal. There are two trends of thought -(1) recycle for composting and (2) landfill. I am hoping the composting argument wins. Will advise when I know more.

Still have the biggest tree yet to cut down. It must be 30 or more feet tall.

I get to reply to myself this time. I found out that we can dispose of the tree trash in the regular wood trash recycle process. There is sufficient material picked up for mulching here and the process used is a heat composting process which neutralizes the effect of the natural herbicides. I updated the blog entry to reflect that new learning. If the methodof recycling is merely cutting into mulch material, the process is insufficient and the material needs to be burned or buried.

[woody_hawkeye]

Which would win: Chinese tallow vs kudzu?

You have a great point. I heard that Kudzu is faster! Fortunately we don't have that one here .... yet.

[NenaE]

We have some in our backyard that were probably planted when our house was built. The Chinese Tallow was a popular landscaping tree in the 1920s & 1930s, since Mr Teas of Teas Nursery fame recommended them for many new Houston subdivisions at the time. Now, these trees are about 80 years old and reaching the end of their lifecycle. Their seeds sprout really easily. I'm always pulling up seedlings that have sprouted in flower beds, or in our potted plants.

I also read that somewhere. My yard (growing up) had chinese tallows, a magnolia, and a china berry...always got the two chinese names mixed up. The chinese tallow was a good climbing tree, those shells hurt to walk on, the chinaberry is still one of my favorites. Very colorful (reds & yellows in the fall), grows tall. Asians had plant nurseries & rice fields in Houston in the early 1900's...could be why the tallow was introduced here.

[woody_hawkeye]

I also read that somewhere. My yard (growing up) had chinese tallows, a magnolia, and a china berry...always got the two chinese names mixed up. The chinese tallow was a good climbing tree, those shells hurt to walk on, the chinaberry is still one of my favorites. Very colorful (reds & yellows in the fall), grows tall. Asians had plant nurseries & rice fields in Houston in the early 1900's...could be why the tallow was introduced here.

I loved the chinaberry as well. As kids, we used to have great "wars" with those berries. I have not seen any issue posed by that tree in our ecology. However, there are quite a few other plants that do create problems in the forest. I will be trying to identify the #2 invasive plant soon. It is probably be another chinese native plant. Excellent point about the Asians and the rice fields.

[CDeb]

Maybe the Chinese tallows will be eaten by the crazy rasberry ants.

[dbigtex56]

A timely reminder: we're less than two weeks away from the beginning of hurricane season.

If you have trees which might lose limbs or topple in high winds, and they're within striking distance of power lines, now is the time to report them to Centerpoint. A bit of trimming now can save a lot of headaches in the future.

[westguy]

A timely reminder: we're less than two weeks away from the beginning of hurricane season.

If you have trees which might lose limbs or topple in high winds, and they're within striking distance of power lines, now is the time to report them to Centerpoint. A bit of trimming now can save a lot of headaches in the future.

Most invasive tree in Houston now - those pear trees. Neighbors like to plant them along the fence and against the house because they are so small, cute, and round. When they grow, every single branch gets too heavy for its attachment. Since its hurricane season, you have a duty to cut down every branch that might crash on your neighbor's property.

[CDeb]

Since its hurricane season, you have a duty to cut down every branch that might crash on your neighbor's property.

Speaking of, what is the law in Texas regarding this?

Not that I'm concerned. It'll be years before my trees have limbs large enough to crush a cardboard box.

[mojeaux131]

As I read this article, I was reminded of this thread.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/magazine/29weeds-t.html

It's an interesting look at weeds and other unwanted plants and the surprising roles they play in ecology. Even if you're a climate change skeptic, this article won't rile you. The author doesn't really write so much about anthropogenic climate change as the roles certain plants play as the climate does warm.

Can Weeds Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

By TOM CHRISTOPHER

Published: June 29, 2008

Lewis Ziska, a lanky, sandy-haired weed ecologist with the Agriculture Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, matches a dry sense of humor with tired eyes. The humor is essential to Ziska

[woody_hawkeye]

As I read this article, I was reminded of this thread.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/magazine/29weeds-t.html

It's an interesting look at weeds and other unwanted plants and the surprising roles they play in ecology. Even if you're a climate change skeptic, this article won't rile you. The author doesn't really write so much about anthropogenic climate change as the roles certain plants play as the climate does warm.

Can Weeds Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

By TOM CHRISTOPHER

Published: June 29, 2008

Lewis Ziska, a lanky, sandy-haired weed ecologist with the Agriculture Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, matches a dry sense of humor with tired eyes. The humor is essential to Ziska's exploration of what global climate change could do to mankind's relationship with weeds; there are many days, he confesses, when his goal becomes nothing more than not ending up in a fetal position beneath his battleship gray, government-issue desk. Yet he speaks of weeds with admiration as well as apprehension, and even with hope...

After I read this, I'm thinking giant plants and dinosaurs. Think I'll go watch a dinosaur movie to night.

[NenaE]

I think many people mistakenly call the chinaberry tree the chinese tallow (trash tree). They both produce berries of some sort. I personally think the chinaberry is a beautiful tree.

[20thStDad]

Do they look similar? I need to get better at identifying the bad kind.

[NenaE]

They don't really look the same, people just call them by the wrong names, sometimes.

chinese tallow pic: http://www.galvbayinvasives.org/Guide/Spec...riadicaSebifera

chinaberry pic: http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00240/chinab.htm

[woody_hawkeye]

My project has left me with too many Tallow root issues. The darn things are coming up all over the yard. The roots are surfacing because they are gasping for breath or something. I am axing them out of the yard everywhere I find them starting shoots. The war is on!

[20thStDad]

Is there another tree that closely resembles the tallow, or is it the only one with the spade shaped leaf and often twisted trunk? I'd love to start telling neighbors they have trash trees and should cut them down but don't want to mistake it for something else. What others might be close?

[westguy]

I don't think there are any others that can change to red, orange, or yellow in the fall. Fall color is pretty rare in SE Texas, and only a handful of trees will change.

http://texnat.tamu.edu/CMPLANTS/toxic/plan...nesetallow.html

[Original Timmy Chan's]

I had previously thought that the Chinese Tallow was completely useless and/or destructive to all other forms of plant and animal life, but I found out I was wrong.

A few weeks ago I was out paddling around on Armand Bayou, enjoying the shade of the Spanish moss-covered branches overhanging the bayou, when I realized that the Spanish moss was growing on Chinese Tallow!!!

I may have to re-think my position on the tallow tree now.

Anyone else ever seen Spanish moss on a tallow tree?

[gnu]

Anyone else ever seen Spanish moss on a tallow tree?

yeah..in my front yard.

[mojeaux131]

I had previously thought that the Chinese Tallow was completely useless and/or destructive to all other forms of plant and animal life, but I found out I was wrong.

A few weeks ago I was out paddling around on Armand Bayou, enjoying the shade of the Spanish moss-covered branches overhanging the bayou, when I realized that the Spanish moss was growing on Chinese Tallow!!!

I may have to re-think my position on the tallow tree now.

Spanish moss gets its sustenance from the air, rainfall and natural mineral leaching from leaves. That it can grow on the Tallow is no saving grace for that troublesome species.

Please do not re-think your position.