General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8b -9.4 °C (15 °F) to -6.7 °C (20 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 40 feet
Plant Spread: 15-20 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Deciduous
Broadleaf
Other: Yellow leaf color in autumn
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Blooms on old wood
Flower Color: White
Other: The flowers are in clusters, white or ivory with slight red/rose/rust color throat.
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
2"-3"
Flower Time: Spring
Underground structures: Taproot
Uses: Flowering Tree
Will Naturalize
Useful for timber production
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Toxicity: Other: Seeds are especially toxic; roots, leaves and fruits (not including seeds) have medicinal uses especially in Eastern medicine..
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Stratify seeds: Use cold treatment or chemical treatment, soak in water 5-7 days speeds germination
Days to germinate: 60+
Can handle transplanting
Other info: Seeds are extremely toxic
Propagation: Other methods: Other: Plants due not come uniform from seed; budding/T-budding may be done from the donor plant onto seedling rootstock to obtain uniform qualities of the parent plant.
Pollinators: Bees
Miscellaneous: Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Tung-Oil Tree
  • Tung Tree
  • China Wood-Oil Tree
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Vernicia fordii
  • Synonym: Aleurites fordii

Photo Gallery
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: May 24 2016
Red glands on petiole.
Location: Saint Helena Island, SC
Date: 2014-04-10
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: May 24, 2016
Red glands on petiole.
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: May 24, 2016
Fruit at 54 days.
Location: Saint Helena Island, SC
Date: 2014-04-10
Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA
Date: 2013-03-24
The leaves may also be heart-shaped.
Photo by Sossman

photo credit:  ADar Que
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: April 2016
Old bark is brown; new growth is green.
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: October 17 2016
Fruits/nuts have ripened and are falling from tree.
Location: Osaka, Japan.
Date: June
Photo by KENPEI
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: April 14 2016
Fruit at 14 days.
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: Apr 14 2016
Fruit, back of leaf
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: Apr 14 2106
Fruit forming
Comments:
  • Posted by patienttype on Jun 9, 2018 4:38 PM concerning plant:
    When visiting my son in Mississippi, I admired a flowering tree grown by a neighbor of his. With typical southern hospitality, the neighbor gave me a seed pod from the tree. I was able to get one of the seeds to sprout here in the Central Valley of California and my Tung Oil Tree is now a 6" seedling. It is yet to be seen if the tree will flourish in the fairly hot and dry climate here.
  • Posted by robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Dec 22, 2013 9:50 PM concerning plant:
    Considered an invasive species in Florida.
Plant Events from our members
greene On April 1, 2016 Bloomed
After the first flush of flowers I noticed there is fruit forming!
greene On May 1, 2014 Potted up
Had this growing in a pot; forgot about it; it grew roots through the pot. I carefully cut away the pot and built a planter box to accommodate the plant in its chosen location.
greene From May 1, 2014 to August 17, 2014 Miscellaneous Event
Tree has doubled in height since transplanted.
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