African Tulip trees

[mejiro]

I had some very tall African Tulip trees cut down after the tropical storm because I was worried they might fall on my house. Instead of killing the stumps, I let them sprout. They are now very attractive small trees. Has anyone had any luck with keeping these trees trimmed short?

[ElysianWort]

You can keep any tree short with constant trimming. Even an albesia tree. Like the albesia, the african tulip is an invasive species. Beautiful indeed but invasive.

[mejiro]

Thank you. The little seeds float everywhere. I should probably kill the trees, but the flowers are so pretty!

[Kenney]

My neighbor's partner planted one 30 years ago. We now have dozens of them covering the junction of 4 lots and choking out everything in their ever spreading path. I cut them down and they keep on spreading anyway. They're pretty when there is just one, but that won't last. Pest!

[tada]

The flowers remind me of the pods in a zombie movie.[:0]

[ElysianWort]

Ever park under one? Big mistake I learned once. There is some kind of sap or nectar from the flowers or tree that will stick all over your car.[:0]

[Rene Siracusa]

The flowers may be pretty but, as you say, the seeds are floating everywhere. Can you guarantee they will stay on your property? I doubt it. Even as small trees they have the potential to invade the land of your neighbors and they will have to spend more of their free time and income on fighting that invasion. And the responsibility for that will be entirely yours. This won't earn you any Brownie points with them. Considering how many beautiful native and non-native but non-invasive trees there are to choose from, why even consider keeping your African Tulip Trees?

[rainyjim]

Research is currently underway at the UH to provide sterile African tulip trees that flower but can not produce viable seeds.

Also for many other popular but invasive non-natives.

Stay tuned.

[bananahead]

FYI, Most of the keiki you see are not from seed... they are root suckers

******************************************************************
save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[leilaniguy]

Hitting the exposed roots with a lawnmower can cause that. Same is true with Ice Cream beans, they are nasty.