Those damn Chinese tallow trees are all still green as if its spring. They seem almost unaffected by this drought. I was hoping it would kill them off, but it looks a lot more like it is going ot promote the growth of MORE of them.

it's good for honey bees though.

I planted a Chinese Pistache in the winter of 09-10. I don't really like the look of the tree and have been wanting to replace it with a live oak. I haven't watered it in 15 months thinking that I will just get rid of it when it dies. The thing is sickly looking but still green. I'm almost having second thoughts about keeping the damn thing seeing how well it's done with this drought.

My Huisache seems to be doing great! :/

I have a chinese tallow and it's struggling right now..

i'll tell you what's indestructible, Wysteria.
We had two huge vines that we decided to cut down in like may. i got down every branch down to the stump on one, and i actually cut off the stump on the other flush with dirt level.

those things are growing back like crazy. they have received no water from me.. just 2-3 rains in the last 5 months.

My thoughts exactly on the tallow. Was hopeful that there was a silver lining in this drought.

Kill them with FIRE!

Chinese Tallow Trees are on the state 10 most invasive plant species list. They are green for a reason, they leech the soil for water and overtake native plant species.

I know that they are a horrible invasive. And we do burn and spray a lot to control that and rose hedge (which the drought may be hitting some). But we can't hit them with fire right now. That not being an option this summer is frustrating.

[This message has been edited by RoseRichAg01 (edited 9/13/2011 7:58a).]

We destroy Tallow on our property as soon as we see them spring up but the damn things are like fire ants.

I have a few Ligustrums volunteer seeded by birds from an old nearby homestead. I always intended to kill them. The drought has dried them to a crisp and I hope they die.

On the comment on the Chinese Pistache, I would definitely keep it if it proves to be that tough, unless it is just so ugly and is in your front yard.

I've noticed one house in my subdivision and another the adjacent subdivision that have planted Chinese Tallow as ornamentals.

1 - I would love to go "fertilize" them to make sure they don't survive another year but fear legal retribution

2 - Which freaking nursery in the Mansfield area is dumb enough to sell those freaking things?

Chinese tallow trees produce nectar at times of the year when virtually no other nectar sources exist. I think they are ugly, awful trees, but when I see them in other peoples' yards, it makes me happy.

When I see them anywhere, I have treehugger's response.

Do yall that burn find that a bunch of tallows germinate in a recently burned field? That seems to be the response we get, though I'm not sure if they're just more noticeable.

Very agressive trees that tolerate a wide range of conditions. They're prolific, too. The problem is that they muscle out natives over time, and you end up with patches of woods where tallows are all there is... not good.

My neighbors damn tallow hasn't died yet. But it seems to shed are regrow all of it's leaves every week. Which all end up in my back yard.

Mouth is correct.

The Chinese tallow is seen by most as a "horrible invasive". It really isn't, I'll agree that the tree is pretty much useless, but it does not take over established areas, which is what invasives do, see kudzu vine and water hyacianth(sp?). Tallows take advantage of every oppurtunity they get though and will out grow and out compete natives for resources when given the chance to get a foothold.

As for planting them for ornamentals, they grow quickly, their leaves change to a beautiful red and yellow color in the fall and, they don't produce any pollen or other common alergens.

Well, at least the Chinaberry trees here in Austin are starting to die in some areas!

Not agressive? Come look at an area that we have that was cleared and is now sheer tallow. If you cut it down then they grow in a bush tree.

If they are small under an inch I don't dare cut them but instead rip them out of the ground. Larger ones it is almost better to not chop or else they send up 2-4 shoots and keeps multiplying into a bush tree.

What he means by invasive is that they will not grow in a stand of live oaks and kill the live oaks out. They will grow in an open area and multiply quickly.

The best way to kill an established chinese tallow is to girdle it. If you do that it will kill the whole tree and it will fall over in about 2 years when the roots decay. If you cut the damn thing off at the ground in two years you will have 4 trees instead of 1.

Thank you pilot. I thought I stated that, they will not take over an area with established trees or a thick midstory. Now these fires and clearing land they are fast growers as take over an area fast.

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The best way to kill an established chinese tallow is to girdle it

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What does this mean?

It's where you cut out a strip of bark around the truck, cutting through the cambium layer. It will slowly kill the tree.

[This message has been edited by ursusguy (edited 9/13/2011 11:22p).]

Didn't know that.

With the new battery powered circular saws, it might be a pretty easy job. If some kind of dado blade would work on the battery saws, one trip around would do the trick.

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Chinese Tallow Trees are on the state 10 most invasive plant species list. They are green for a reason, they leech the soil for water and overtake native plant species.

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Yeah, Bermudagrass is on that list too.

A battery operated jig saw would work. Take the diameter of the truck and cut about 10-20% of that deep intO the trunk all the way around.

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As for planting them for ornamentals, they grow quickly, their leaves change to a beautiful red and yellow color in the fall and, they don't produce any pollen or other common alergens.

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this is how is see it.. they have great color in the fall, and obviously, they live through texas summer conditions..

perhaps they should just be put on the the native list, since they seem to do fine.

I not only didn't cut mine down, i moved it from the front flower bed to my treeless backyard.. and i did this two different times.

Can't believe I'm seeing people on an outdoors board advocate planting invasives. I have to assume it's trolling.