Fissured trunk

Seedling

Leaves and immature seed capsule

Bare in Winter

With buds in November

Scientific Name

Triadica sebifera or Sapium sebiferum

Synonyms

 

Common Names

Chinese tallowood

Family

Euphorbiaceae

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a deciduous tree. Flowers are either male or female. Bark is grey and longitudinally fissured.

Leaves are alternate, broadly pear-shaped, dark green above and much paler below with an tapering apex.

Flowers are tiny and in small clusters arranged in terminal spikes; male flowers are yellow-green while female flowers (if present) will be found at base of the inflorescence.

Fruit is a capsule which is green when young becoming black when ripe. When mature valves fall leaving naked seeds attached to the tree. Seeds are white with maximum 3 in each capsule.

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Other plants easily confused with this plant

Similar to the Australian native Omalanthus populifolius. The native has a smooth trunk whereas the weed species has a fissued trunk.

 

Sources & References

"Plantnet FloraOnline" 

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/

 

Prepared by Justin KY Chu, July 2005

Updated by Bev Debrincat, September 2010