Family: Anacardiaceae
Toxicodendron succedaneum (Japanese wax tree, rhus tree) is a small tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Eastern Asia. It has been introduced outside of its native range for ornamental purposes. In India, it is used for medicinal purposes. The sap is used as a lacquer to create paintings in Japan and Vietnam. It is reported to be naturalized in Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, but is not documented to be naturalized on any Hawaiian Islands to date. This plant is highly toxic, the fresh sap can cause blisters and the plant itself can cause severe dermatitis and allergic reaction in humans. It is classified as a noxious weed in New Zealand and Australia. It poses some threat to Hawaiian forests as it is shade tolerant and spreads by root suckers and seeds that are desirable to birds.
High Risk Traits:
- Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Thrives in temperate to subtropical climates
- Naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil
- A disturbance adapted weedy tree with possible negative environmental impacts
- Other Toxicodendron species are weedy and invasive
- Highly toxic, allergy causing tree
- Shade-tolerant
- Tolerates many soil types
- Seeds dispersed by birds and unintentionally in contaminated soil
- Can reach reproductive maturity in 3 years
- Able to spread by root suckers
- Seeds persist in the soil
- Able to coppice and resprout after cutting or burning
Low Risk Traits:
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
- Palatable to goats (despite toxic properties)
- Ornamental
- Trees appear to be functionally dioecious
- Effectively controlled by herbicide
