INTRODUCTION, IMPACT ON NATIVE HABITATS, AND MANAGEMENT OF A WOODY INVADER, THE CHINESE TALLOW TREE, SAPIUM-SEBIFERUM (L) ROXB

Chinese tallow, Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb., is a subtropical deciduou s tree native to China, where its seeds are used for a variety of prod ucts including soap, candles, and oil. This species was introduced to the United States in the late 1700s. The Bureau of Plant Industry (U.S . Department of Agriculture) established plantations of tallow along t he Gulf Coast in the early 1900s to study its feasibility as an agricu ltural crop. At this time it became a popular ornamental. Because of t olerance to different types of soils, rapid growth, precocity, high fe cundity, and the presence of few pests or pathogens in the United Stat es, Chinese tallow spread to a variety of natural habitats in the sout heastern United States. Native prairies invaded by Chinese tallow suff ered altered ecosystem structure as a result of the monospecific stand s of tallow trees that persisted. Currently, tallow is controlled by m echanical means, but some herbicides are effective.