Species Overview

Origin: Tropical Asia, Pacific Islands

Bishopwood was brought to Florida in 1947 for ornamental landscape use. Since then, it has been used extensively in street landscaping throughout south Florida. This rapidly growing evergreen or semi-evergreen tree is occasionally found in disturbed hammocks in central Florida and south Florida. 

Species Characteristics

• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• Habit:  evergreen tree commonly 12–18 m (35–60 ft) in height with dense, rounded head, smooth branches, and milky sap
• Leaves: alternate, long-petioled, trifoliolate (3 leaflets); leaflets shiny, bronze-toned, oval-elliptic, 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long, with serrulate margins 
• Flowers: tiny, without petals, greenish-yellow, in many flowered clusters (racemes) at leaf axils; (dioecious), blooms from spring to summer 
• Fruit: pea-sized, berry-like, fleshy, to 9 mm (0.35 in) in diameter; brown or reddish or blue-black, 3-celled
• Seeds: 1-2 5 mm long and 3 mm wide 
• Distribution in Florida: central and south 

Impacts

Bishopwood is common in old fields and disturbed wetland sites. It invades intact cypress domes and tropical hardwood hammocks, where it displaces native vegetation and alters the structure of the plant community. Female trees produce massive numbers of bird-dispersed fruits that hang in grapelike clusters, giving rise to volunteer seedlings in natural habitats. Bishopwood is apdapted to various soil types, enabling it to establish in a variety of habitats.

Bishopwood is not recommended by UF/IFAS. The UF/IFAS Assessment lists bishopwood as a species of caution (requires management to prevent escape) and FLEPPC lists it as a Category l invasive species due to its ability to invade and displace native plant communities.

Regular monitoring and removal of seedlings can prevent the spread and establishment of bishopwood. Programs to educate homeowners on proper plant identification will also reduce the spread of this species. Native alternatives to bishopwood for use in landscaping include papaya (Carica papaya), sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), coco plum (Chrysobalanus icaco), Florida fiddlewood (Citharexylum spinosum), whitewood (Drypetes diversifolia) and bayleaf capertree (Cynophalla flexuosa). 

Avoid planting bishopwood. If removal is not an option, remove seeds to prevent spread by birds and pull seedlings.

Cut mature trees and hand pull seedlings.

There are no known biological control agents for bishopwood.

• Cut stump: 50% Garlon 3A.
• Basal bark: 10–20% Garlon 4. Frill/girdle (large trees): 20% Garlon 4. Incision point application: one hack for every 6 inches DBH, 100% Method, 0.5 mL per hack.
  • adventitious roots sometimes form along trunk in response to basal bark treatment. Target only female trees if time, funds, or herbicide limitations are a factor.