Does Tampas urban forest have non-native and invasive tree species?
Of the 93 tree species found in Tampa, 76% are native to North America and the remaining 24% are non-native. Of those native to North America, approximately 50% are considered to be native to Florida. Perhaps of greater concern is that one of the most common tree species in Tampa, Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) (Figure 2), is both non-native and invasive. It readily spreads into disturbed areas such as fields, ditches, along canals, and in flatwood forests, growing in thickets that are costly to eradicate. The dominance of this species is not confined to Tampa; in fact, it is estimated to be established on over 1 million acres throughout the state (Langeland and Burks 1998). Figure 2. Relative abundance of top 5 non-native tree species found in Tampa.
