Tung Nut
Vernicia fordii fordii (al-eh-yoo-REE-teez FOR-dee-eye)
The tung oil tree is native to southern China and is a member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It can grow 40 ft tall and has hibiscus-type flowers that are white with red centers that bloom before the leaves appear. The species epithet honors Mr. Charles Ford, who was the superintendent of the Hong Kong Botanic Garden in the late 19th century and who first sent dried specimens to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for identification. The tung oil tree grows in full sun but also tolerates being an understory tree. It is fast-growing and thrives on relatively well-drained, fertile soils with adequate moisture. It is not very cold-tolerant. The seeds of the tung oil tree are rich in unsaturated oils, which are used in the production of lacquers, varnishes, resins and paints. The fatty acid responsible for tung oil's functionality is alpha-eleostearic acid. Early in the 1900s, the importation of these oils reached millions of gallons per year. Due to the high demand for the oils, this tree was brought to the US by Gulf Coast farmers in search of a cash crop. By the 1920s, there were over 10,000 acres of tung oil trees being grown along the Gulf Coast in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. By the 1940s, synthetic resins began to become alternatives to tung oil. Furthermore, freezes and hurricanes caused major crop losses. Production declined in the Southeast, and by the late 1960s, commercial production ceased. Today, in Florida, there is a resurgence of interest in the crop. Abandoned plantation trees remained, and these were the source of seeds that established themselves in forest edges, rights of ways and urban green spaces. Its suckering habit has allowed the tung oil tree to flourish and spread. In FL, GA and AL, it is considered a weed. Controlling its growth and spread has proven to be a challenge. Since they can reproduce through suckers, the removal of a tree must be complete. After felling the tree, the remaining stump should be chemically treated immediately after the cutting is done. If you are seeking an ornamental, flowering tree, please consider planting alternatives to tung oil tree. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to dieback and canker.
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 72 attributes.
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