Chinese Tallow Tree

Chinese Tallow Tree (Triadica sebifera) gives autumn colour that few trees can match in a warm Australian garden, turning red, orange and plum before the leaves drop. It grows fast to around 8m tall and 6m wide, with a rounded canopy of heart shaped leaves that flutter in any breeze. One honest caveat: it seeds freely and is listed as an environmental weed in parts of the country, so check your local council listings first.

Why you'll love it

• Autumn colour without the cold. Most reliable colouring trees want a cold climate. This one performs in subtropical and warm temperate gardens where maples disappoint.
• Fast shade. It puts on height quickly, so even a young tree gives usable canopy within a few seasons.
• Wet or dry, it copes. It tolerates periodically wet ground and turns drought tolerant once established.
• Bees work the flowers. Slender yellow spikes in spring bring bees and butterflies into the garden before the leaves take over.

Where it works best

Shade tree. A single specimen on a lawn throws a rounded canopy around 6m across, enough to shade a seating area without swallowing a suburban backyard.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 6m apart down a drive so the canopies meet without crowding. A run of autumn colour is the reason to plant it in numbers.

Feature planting. The fine leaf suits a front garden or courtyard where a deciduous tree lets winter sun back through the windows.

Growing Chinese Tallow Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest colour. Frost hardy and heat tolerant, so cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical gardens all work, though colour is deepest where autumn nights turn cold.

Soil. Not fussy. It handles clay, sand and ground that stays damp after rain, which is unusual in a colouring tree. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off as it hardens up. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it asks for.

Pruning. Prune in winter while it is bare, to lift the canopy and set a clear trunk. Pull any seedlings that appear underneath each spring, because that is how this tree spreads.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes, 30L and 90L. The 30L is a young tree with a single clear leader, easy to handle and the value choice if you can wait a season or two. The 90L is advanced stock carrying real trunk thickness and canopy, for a driveway or front garden that needs presence on day one.

Deciduous trees travel best in winter when they are bare, and go out in leaf through the warmer months. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full range of trees and plants with autumn colour.
• Browse other deciduous trees for winter sun and summer shade.
• Fast growing shade trees if canopy is the priority.
• How invasive species affect ecosystems, before you choose.

Common questions

Is it a weed in Australia?

It self seeds freely and is listed as an environmental weed in parts of the country. Check your local council listings before buying, and pull seedlings from under the canopy each year.

Will it colour in a subtropical garden?

Yes, and that is the main reason to plant it. Colour runs deeper where autumn nights are cold, but it performs in warm gardens where classic autumn trees do not.

Does it cope with wet ground?

It does. Periodically wet feet are tolerated, so a low corner of the lawn that stays damp after rain is fine. It is drought tolerant once established as well.

How big will it get in a suburban yard?

Around 8m tall and 6m wide is realistic, so it wants an open lawn rather than a narrow side strip. Winter pruning keeps the canopy lifted and tidy.