On a recent visit from friends from Texas I got some Texas Tallow Tree
honey (thanks Robert and Monique!). Tallow Tree (Triadica sebifera)
is also known as: Chinese tallow, Florida aspen, chicken tree, popcorn tree and
candleberry tree. The “tallow” and
“candle” names refer to the fact that the waxy coatings of the seeds can be used
for candle and soap making. In fact, “sebifera”
means “wax-bearing.” “Popcorn” describes the appearance of its seeds (see photo below showing the popcorn like seeds). “Chicken”
refers to the fact that chickens like to eat the seeds. Furthermore, the leaves
are similar in shape to the aspen, hence “Florida aspen.” The tree is native to
China and Japan, hence the name “Chinese” tallow. The Tallow tree has been
introduced into a number of countries. In the US it was introduced into South
Carolina in 1776 by the French botanist Francois Michaux, and can now be found
from North Carolina to California, mostly in warmer, southern states (see map below).
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| Tallow Tree with "popcorn" seeds |
Tallow tree is an attractive shade tree with waxy, green, heart-shaped
leaves that exhibit beautiful fall colors that rival maples in their yellows,
oranges and scarlets (see photo below). It can grow to 60 feet in height and 30 feet in width and live to be 100 years old. It
is the definition of hardy. It does well in a range of soil and light
conditions. It likes warm temperatures but can withstand light frosts. It can
also tolerate flooding, even saltwater flooding.
It is monoecious, producing male and female flowers on the same plant,
and has an unusual flowering strategy, called dichogamy, that involves
different flowering times and requires having at least two sub-populations.
Dichogamy contributes to having a high genetic diversity within the same stand.
The yellow or white, very sweet smelling, flowers occur within an
inflorescence spike of up to 20 cm long (April-June). The flowers produce
capsules that change from green to black (September-October). The capsule walls
then fall away to expose white wax-covered seeds. These seeds stay on the tree for several weeks.
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| Tallow Tree with yellow flowers |
Apart from its use as an ornamental tree, it has many other uses. The waxy, outer covering of seeds contains a solid fat known as Chinese vegetable tallow
and the kernels produce stillingia oil. Candles and soap can be made from the tallow. In fact, the US Department
of Agriculture introduced Tallow trees into some Gulf Coast states in the 1970s
to establish a local soap making industry. Its kernel oil, which is a potential
substitute for petroleum, is also used in machine oils and in making varnishes
and paints. In addition a black dye can be made from its leaves, and its wood is
suitable for furniture making and carving; its wood has been used to make blocks in
Chinese printing. More recently the tree is thought to be a promising source of
woody biomass that can be used for direct burning, or conversion to charcoal,
ethanol or methanol.
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| Map depicting Tallow Trees range (blue, green and pink- with pink showing areas of noxious growth) |
While attractive and seemingly useful, it is also an extremely
dangerous invasive species in the United States. It is listed by the Texas
Department of Agriculture as one of the 24 most invasive plants and by the
Nature Conservancy as one of “America’s Least Wanted- the Dirty Dozen.” It
causes large-scale ecosystem modification by replacing native vegetation and by
negatively altering soil conditions (related to the high level of tannins in
its leaf litter). It has the potential to invade marshes, changing them from
herbaceous to woody plant communities. In Texas it has produced large-scale
conversion of upper coastal prairie to woodland, and is credited with the near
extinction of the Attwater prairie chicken and a decline in grassland bird
species due to loss of their habitat (the irony of chickens liking to eat the
Tallow tree seeds is not lost on me). It has done so well that in Houston it
makes up 23% of all trees, out-competing native vegetation and creating a
monoculture in some areas. Not surprisingly, in Texas it is illegal to sell,
distribute or import it.
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| Tallow Tree showing fall colors and seeds |
The Tallow’s success is attributed to its high growth rate, high
reproductive ability, and lack of herbaceous and insect predators or pathogenic
organisms. Its leaves and sap are toxic keeping away most things that might harm
it. Just touching it can cause dermatitis. As invasive plants go, it is in a
class of its own with an incredible capacity to reproduce. A single tree can
annually produce 100,000 seeds and seeds can remain
dormant in soil for several years before sprouting. For a mature stand, this
translates into upwards of 4,500 kilograms of seeds per hectare per year (yes,
someone measured this)! Apart from seeds, it can also spread via root sprouts
and it has a short generation time, meaning cut trees quickly regrow. Mechanical removal is only effective for small
specimens. Tree stumps can re-sprout and root fragments can develop shoots. This
all means that the Tallow tree spreads and takes hold quickly, and is a
nightmare to get rid of. Only certain herbicides and serious fire seems to be
able do the job. One Cajun is quoted as saying “You don’t kill Tallows, you
just make them mad.” It probably speaks volumes that most of the information I
found on the Tallow tree was about ways that have been tried, unsuccessfully,
to kill it. In Florida and Louisiana it is classified as a noxious weed, which
given the circumstances seems like an understatement. The take home message:
don’t buy, plant or otherwise spread this tree.
As for honey production, though, it is a winner (a silver lining?). While
the leaves and sap contain toxins the nectar does not and bees love it,
yielding impressive amounts of honey per colony. Apiarists in Texas and
Louisiana claim colony yields ranging from 35 to 200 lbs, with averages of 100
lbs.
The honey I have is from Walker Honey Farm in Rogers, Central Texas, a
family business that started in 1930 by G.C. Clint Walker and currently run by
Janice and Clint Walker. They’ve expanded in the last 80+ years into quite an
impressive operation, now offering 20+ varieties of honey, beeswax candles,
mead, specialty foods, soaps and beauty products, among other things.
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| Tallow Tree honey |
The Tallow Tree honey that is distributed by Walker Honey Farms is, not
surprisingly, from the Houston area. It is a warm brown color that has an herbal,
grassy smell. It has crystallized since I got it with large crystals (like rock
candy) at the bottom of the jar and a layer of thin honey on top. It has a rich, not to sweet and slightly
bitter, herbal taste with a caramel, slight cinnamon, aftertaste. It is unusual and tasty and would be very nice
in baking, on warm buttered toast or in hot cereal.
This is not the first honey I've reviewed that is from an invasive species (see my review of Brazilian Pepper honey). Is honey production a silver lining to a serious problem? I struggle with how I feel about the production of a quality honey from a species that is destroying certain ecosystems. I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts on the matter if you have a moment to leave a comment!
