Australian Almond, Australian Almond Tree

I was outside today and for the past few days and noticed a nasty stench. I could not place it but being surrounded by trees I had a feel...Read Moreing it was a flowering tree somewhere. Today is my third day of relaxed searching for the source and sure enough it came from this tree. I was surprised because with it's pretty inflorescence I thought it would have a nice fragrance. Now I find that it's also listed as Cat2 Invasive so I would consider this a double Negative.

Australian Almond Tree (Terminalia muelleri) is a Category Two Invasive by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. It is spreading in cent...Read Moreral and southern Florida (zone 9b through 11) in the U.S. (central and southern Florida and the Keys) in natural areas. It is currently found in the central and southern coasts in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe (the Keys), Collier, Lee, and Manatee counties. The seeds are dispersed by birds and wildlife into natural areas where they grow, spread, and outcompete native plants. It is native to Australia and surrounding areas. It should not be planted or sold in central and southern Florida! It's close relative, West Indian Almond (Terminalia catappa) is also a Category Two Invasive in central and southern Florida and the Keys (zones 9a through 11) and should not be planted as well, as both are spreading (seeds of both spp. are dispersed by birds) into natural areas, and are starting to compete with native plant species. As TREEHUGR quoted, "it is not the number of seedlings (volunteers) in your yard that make a plant a Category One Invasive... it is the seeds of the species that are dispersed to natural areas that grow and outcompete native species that make it a Category One Invasive!" Same goes for Category Two Invasives. Please, DO NOT PLANT EITHER OF THESE SPECIES IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA!

MORE FACTS - This spp. and it's relative, West Indian Almond (Terminalia catappa) are both popular as landscape trees in warm areas.