How far has Chinese tallow spread in the United States?
It has spread from South Carolina all the way down to Florida, west into Texas, and has now been located in California. How do Chinese tallow’s characteristics make it such an aggressive invader? Chinese tallow has the ability to reach reproductive age in as little as 3 years and to remain productive for at least 60 years. It does not seem to have a preference for disturbed areas over undisturbed areas and can grow in a variety of places. It can also grow in both full sunlight and shade. It is more tolerant of salinity and flooding than quite a few other native species. It grows in subtropical to warm climates but is hardy and able to withstand a few degrees of frost. It is able to thrive in the United States and is resistant to native insects. In addition, it is somewhat resistant to fire. Once Chinese tallow is established, is it hard to get rid of? Chinese tallow is very hard to get rid of. Trees are chopped down, roots are dug up and removed, and herbicides are used, but the aggres
