Chinaberry ANd Chinese Tallow Trees (Houston, Salado: new house, neighborhood, buy)

[outafocus]

Back when I was a kid in the 1950s, many of the new houses in our Dellview neighborhood had Chinese Tallow and Chinaberry trees planted in the front and back yards. I LOVED those trees as a kid (the chinaberries and tallow seeds made excellent slingshot ammo). They made great shade, and were fun to climb. When I bought my first house, I planted two Chinese Tallows. They grew quickly, and gave a lot of shade. I recently had my 61 year old Arizona Ash in my front yard cut down, and I have been told that Chinaberry, AND Chinese Tallows are now considered invasive species and are no longer sold in Texas.

I think these environmentalists aregoing overboard. I want a Chinese Tallow. I guess I'll have to find one of the "many" wild trees, dig it up, and plant it since I can't buy one anymore.

[elnina]

I know how you feel, I like those trees too, however:
“As of January 6, 2005, it is unlawful to sell, distribute, or import any live form of this plant into the State of Texas!”

Do NOT Plant Chinese Tallows (it’s illegal) | The Lazy Gardener | a Chron.com blog
^^^ and this article explains why.

so , you might get a plant from a friend, but you are not going to find any place that sells it.


Each and every part of the Texas Umbrella ( Chinaberry ) tree is poisonous. Leaves, bark, berries and seeds. Eating as few as 6 berries can result in death. Be very minful of this if you have young children around the house. Even birds that eat too many seeds have been known to become paralyzed.

Is this a Chinaberry??

[madrone2k]

Thanks for that link to the Chronicle article! Growing up in the Houston area, I am quite familiar with the Chinese Tallow. In the 50s, my grandparents' house in Brazoria County (in the coastal prairie south of here) had several mature specimens. I think many people planted or otherwise encouraged them because they are fast growers, as well as for their fall colors (which are modest by northern states' standards).

I always assumed that the Chinaberry was the same plant, but the one pictured at the end of the Chronicle article looks quite different. Rather nice purple flowers, with leaves that resemble those of a pecan tree. Which is rather different from the leaves on the berry-bearing tree in your photo. The yellow leaves in the background of your photo might be a better match, but I think they from a different tree than the one with the berries.

[elnina]

Yeah, I was not sure myself. It indeed looks quite different...
Thank you for your input

[SATX56]

China berry is very dense and makes great shade trees. We used the green berries for ammo in slingshots or just coffee cans full for throwing. We never got poisoned. We need shade trees not the crap being passed out at events by the county or agricultural agencies.

[elnina]

True, most around are sorry looking trees...

[Rapscallion]

We had them around when I grew up as well. The berries stink, and the trees have large sections which die and drop. The trees generally take on a diseased appearance after a short time.

As for the environmentalists, I can attest they are absolutely correct. I found large groves of them along Salado Creek where the creek had deposited them. I have seen them grow up extremely tall, thin with the only foliage at the very top in a struggle to compete for light with literally hundreds of the trees in just a small 1/2 acre area. I've seen this from inside loop 410 all the way to north of Thousand Oaks.

If you want something unusual, check out a Chinese Parasol. They grow tall, have an interesting green bark and don't rot. The foliage consists of large leaves which gently drape, giving it its name. I've no idea if they are considered invasive though.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

I didn't know the Chinaberry was poisonous, but it was a very messy tree, always dropping junk into the yard.

My favorites from childhood are still around, the Texas Mountain Laurel (with those little red berries that you scratch on the ground, then press on your friend's arm to burn them), and Chinese Plum or Loquat, which makes edible yellow fruit.

[SATX56]

Pecan trees are messy and tough to keep new sprouts cleared out. With the price of pecans I'll take the minuses.. Mountain Laurels are great as are Chinese Plum but those aren't really shade trees. Too small to be good for shade usually.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by outafocus

Back when I was a kid in the 1950s, many of the new houses in our Dellview neighborhood had Chinese Tallow and Chinaberry trees planted in the front and back yards. I LOVED those trees as a kid (the chinaberries and tallow seeds made excellent slingshot ammo). They made great shade, and were fun to climb. When I bought my first house, I planted two Chinese Tallows. They grew quickly, and gave a lot of shade. I recently had my 61 year old Arizona Ash in my front yard cut down, and I have been told that Chinaberry, AND Chinese Tallows are now considered invasive species and are no longer sold in Texas.

I think these environmentalists aregoing overboard. I want a Chinese Tallow. I guess I'll have to find one of the "many" wild trees, dig it up, and plant it since I can't buy one anymore.

You've got to be kidding me!!! I'm so sorry. I also enjoyed those chinese tallow trees when I was a kid. If true, it's quite the bummer that they're not sold anymore.