Bischofia Species, Bishop Wood, Javawood, Javanese Bishopwood, Tiger Tree

"Soon [after its introduction] it became obvious that the tree becomes too big too soon; is not only subject to scale and leaf spot, but ...Read Morehas aggressive surface roots; fruiting branches successively die back leaving holes in the crown; seedlings volunteer in cultivated and natural areas. Removal and disposal of overgrown trees is troublesome and costly...

"No experienced, responsible nurseryman would grow the tree today. Unfortunately, there are newcomers in the landscape trade who seeks fast-growing trees of any kind and avail themselves of any left-over stocks of this species to achieve "instant" effects in new housing and commercial develop ments. The property owner finds out too late that he has acquired an undesirable tree and a disposal problem."

The above come from a superb account of this tree's decline in popularity: http://fshs.org/proceedings-o/1984-vol-97/241-244 (morton).pdf

This tree has brittle wood and is among the most prone to wind/hurricane damage, commonly losing major limbs in storms. http://www.broward.org/NaturalResources/NatureScape/Learning...
dis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep042
http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/Master G Cour...

This tree suckers persistently and refuses to die when cut down. I was just working on a small garden in West Palm Beach, FL, where two beds consisted entirely of bischofia suckers, and it took much work to pull seedlings from the other beds. The neighbors all had problems with weedy seedlings, too.

The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council has listed this species as a Category l invasive. So it's also destructive of natural habitat. Also an ecological problem in Hawaii.

The abundant milky sap is toxic and can cause skin rashes on contact. Wear gloves and goggles when pruning---the sap can also cause eye damage.

I had worked with these trees on many occasions and enjoyed the shade and comfort from the canopy.
I had never experienced any ...Read Moreill with this species at all and it is unfortunate some of the trees were damaged by high winds. The ones I did see that made it through the hurricanes were either grouped together or most of the lateral limbs were removed when they were younger. It is truly an awsome tree.

These are VERY INVASIVE trees in south Florida. Everyone should do their best to eliminate them. Their dense shade, and perhaps toxins,...Read More prevent other plants from growing under them, and the seeds come up everywhere.

I would remind everyone that since it is an Euphorbiaceae, there are skin irritants in the bark and foliage, so I don't think one should attempt to climb it. In fact, care should be taken when handling the cut branches.
MN4

This is a large, deciduous or semi (partially) deciduous tree is native to tropical southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. It has been i...Read Morentroduced as a shade and ornamental landscape tree to many tropical and subtropical areas, including the Caribbean and central and southern Florida (including the Keys). Here it has become naturalized in many natural habitats and disturbed sites, including edges of sugarcane fields, cypress swamps, edges, and cypress swamp domes and centers, canal edges, pinelands, and edges and interiors of hammocks, including some areas near the coastal areas in Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe (the Keys and possibly mainland Monroe County), Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. It has an aggressive root system and often shades out native plants and alters the native ecosystem, similar to Java Plum (Syzigium cumini, S. jambolana or Eugenia cumini, among other scientific names), another naturalized and invasive exotic in central and southern Florida. Bishopwood is a Category One Invasive by FLEPPC, like Java Plum. However, Bishopwood is still a valuable shade tree and may make a good climbing tree for people or to sit in, since (especially older) trees may habe thick branches.

This tree is very defoliated in storms and hurricanes, but quickly grows back to produce a dense new growth of green leaves.

The flowers (and pollen) are yellow-green to green and bloom usually in winter or in spring. The flowers and pollen are numerous and small.

The seeds are in hanging clusters and are round and brownish (wgen ripe). When not ripe, they are green or greenish.