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Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera)

Introduced as an ornamental, Chinese tallow tree is established in parts of Australia, including northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. It can outcompete native plants, reduce food and shelter for native animals, and its milky sap and plant parts are toxic to people and some animals.

Key facts

Type: Weed, tree.

Native to: China.

Established in: QLD, NSW, VIC, WA.

Other names: Chinese Tallow, Chinese tallowood.

Best time to act: Flowers are most obvious in late spring and early summer, while fruits are present from late summer to autumn; herbicide treatment can be applied any time of year, and manual removal is easiest when the ground is soft.

Identification

  • A deciduous tree that can grow up to 15 m tall, with long, drooping branches and a canopy up to 4–5 m wide.
  • Its alternate, heart-shaped leaves have pointed tips and smooth edges; they turn yellow, orange, purple and red before falling in autumn.
  • Greenish-yellow flowers grow in clusters on slender spikes at branch ends, and are noticeable in late spring and early summer.
  • Hard, rounded capsules turn from green to black as they mature and split into three sections, each with up to three whitish, chalk-coated seeds.
  • The trunk is grey to brown, with rough, lengthwise furrows.

Where it grows

In Australia it grows in temperate areas with warm winters and subtropical climates, especially wet places such as river, lake, stream and swamp edges, and can also grow in ditches, a range of soils, full sun or partial shade.

Why it matters

  • It outcompetes native plants and changes soil nutrient levels in ways that favour its own seed germination and growth, suppressing other plants.
  • It can reduce food and shelter available to native animals.
  • Milky sap is toxic to people; ingestion can cause nausea and vomiting, while skin contact can cause irritation.
  • Leaves and immature berries are mildly toxic to cattle and horses; leaf sap can irritate lips and eyes, and large quantities can cause diarrhoea.

How it spreads

  • Mature trees can produce up to 100,000 seeds per year, and seeds can remain viable for at least two years.
  • Birds and flowing water spread the seeds.
  • Cut or burnt trees can regrow from the stump, and suckers can grow from the roots.

Control options

  • Manually remove small plants and seedlings, fully removing the roots to reduce regrowth from root suckers; removal is easier when the ground is soft.
  • For larger plants, use an appropriate registered herbicide and an approved cut-stump or stem-injection method, following the product label and any permit.
  • Monitor treated plants and treat shoots that regrow from the stump; remove livestock from treated areas because herbicide-treated foliage may be more attractive to stock.
  • In NSW exclusion zones, notify the local control authority if the plant is found; check relevant local biosecurity requirements.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Before leaving an infested site, remove seeds, plant material and soil from footwear, tools, vehicles and machinery, and avoid carrying contaminated material to clean sites.
  • Do not move soil or plant material from an infested area unless it can be handled and disposed of in a way that prevents spread.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Regional priority in 2 of 11 regions. Regional priority weed in Hunter, North Coast. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources