In Florida, we have a massive issue with invasive species. We have everything here. And by everything, I mean almost every kind of reptile from all four corners of the globe can be found down in the sunshine state. And that’s not a good thing. We’re talking from a to z, from tegus to pythons. But that’s not the focus of our discussion today. No sir, we’re taking a left turn here and discussing a different kind of invader. A leafy one. A green one. That’s right, plants can be just as invasive as animals. Honestly, they can be even MORE so under the right (or wrong) conditions. And our subject for today is going to be the Tampa Australian Pine.
You can find this tree in most places in Florida. But you’ll see them primarily in tropical and subtropical climates in coastal habitats, such as beaches and estuaries. Frequently found on disturbed sites, and can occupy poor soils and several types of substrates; but does not do well in heavy, clay soils.
Tampa Australian Pine: Overview
The Australian pine is an invasive tree that can be found primarily in Florida, Hawaii, California, Arizona, and Texas. In around the 1890s, the USDA planted these pines to stabilize riverbanks and use them for lumber. But today, this invasive species causes destruction and interferes with the plants, wildlife, and soil around it.
And despite the name of this tree, it has no relation to pine trees. It does have the cone-shaped fruit and leaves that are shaped like needles, but it belongs to a different genus. And, it has it’s own distinct features. For one, it’s leaves. The leaves that you see on the Australian pine tree are actually tiny, multi-jointed branchlets. These branchlets have even smaller leaves on them. Each one of the branchlets measures about four to eight inches long and has a grayish-green color to them. And depending on the species of Australian pine, it can grow up to over a hundred feet tall.
Its bark ranges from reddish-brown to gray and has a rough, peeling texture. The tree also has a cone-like cluster, inside of which you’ll find the winged, one-seeded fruit.
This tree reproduces aggressively throughout barrier beaches, woods, and roadsides. They cause massive threats to the local ecosystem, which is why homeowners should look to remove them completely.
Their threat
These trees cause death and displacement for native vegetation. It manages to do so by creating dense shade and leaf litter. These pines cut off other plants’ access to the nutrients they need in the soil and the sunlight. The dense thickets block out both rain and sun and causes the undergrowth to die beneath. They also cover the ground with a thick leaf litter that stops any other plants from being able to push up through the soil.
Dropping leaves containing allelopathic properties. The leaves on an Australian pine have allelopathic properties, meaning they suppress the growth of other plant life. When the leaves become litter, they directly prevent plant growth in the soil.
And unlike it’s intended purpose, this tree actually causes more erosion than it prevents. They have shallow roots that can’t stabilize the ground as effectively as deep-rooted plants, and it’s plant displacement causes the more deep rooted plants around it to wither and die. In a hurricane, tornado, or even a severe thunderstorm, these roots don’t hold and they frequently fall over. Downed trees can keep residents from returning home after an evacuation or prevent first responders from providing needed services.
In addition to displacing plants and letting soil erode, the Australian pine displaces wildlife through the following effects:
Lack of wildlife habitat: An Australian pine does not provide a habitat for any wildlife.
Shallow root system: The shallow root system of an Australian pine destroys breeding sites for some endangered species. Baby turtles and other creatures can get tangled in these root systems, which puts their species at further risk.
Displaced habitat plants: In some cases, Australian pine trees replace the natural habitat of an animal. Since the Australian pine doesn’t offer any habitat itself, the animals must find other areas to inhabit.
Tampa Australian Pine: What to do?
If you have a Tampa Australian pine on your property:
Remove seedlings by hand pulling or herbicide treatment
Use basal bark treatment with herbicide for trees under 8 inches in diameter
Use cut stump treatment for large trees that may fall and damage personal property
Plant native tree species instead, such as sea grape (Coccoloba uvifera), sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus), or buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus).
Damaging or cutting an Australian pine stimulates its growth, so these invasive trees need a specialized removal solution. Common strategies for removing Australian pine include:
Herbicides: Australian pine responds to frill/girdle, basal bark, foliar, and soil herbicide application methods. If a tree could fall and cause damage after herbicide use, we recommend cutting the tree first and using the stump application method.
Professional strategies: Trained officials may use burning or biological controls to manage large numbers of Australian pine trees. If you can’t use herbicides or mechanical removal to get rid of Australian pine, consider contacting your local invasive species management organization.
Mechanical removal: If you have smaller Australian pine trees to remove from a property, you can use attachments like mulchers and stump grinders to completely eliminate the tree from your property.
All in all, it’s easy to see that this isn’t a job for a layman. You’ll need a pest control specialist to help you with this tree. Any pest plant or insect that’s as well established and dangerous as this one is going to need time and a properly trained touch to deal with. And try to get one that uses more natural methods, as chemical pesticides and the like have been long since proven dangerous. There’s no need to put your family at risk over such things when other methods that are more modern have come out since the days of just blasting everything with agent orange.
