Response of Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera) and Coexisting Natives to Competition, Shade, and Flooding

The experiment explored the combined effects of light, flooding, and competition on the growth of Chinese tallow and three native southeastern US tree species. Through a factorial design involving different light and flood conditions, it was found that in non-flooded, high irradiance settings, the growth metrics of tallow were highest when grown with sugarberry and water tupelo, but decreased when in competition with green ash. Conversely, tallow competition reduced several growth and performance metrics of water tupelo. Green ash competition resulted in lower growth metrics for tallow, with no noticeable adverse effects on green ash except for its growth rate. These findings suggest that Chinese tallow may be less competitive with certain native species, indicating that underplanting with such species could enhance the success rates of native tree species establishment in areas threatened by tallow invasion.