Pongamia Trees in Florida

[PalmsInBaltimore]

Interesting article on pongamia being grown commercially in Florida:

https://hosted.ap.org/article/c9e781f0d1f7ea786b9748235c9dc320/pongamia-trees-grow-where-citrus-once-flourished-offering

 

[Cindy Adair]

This is interesting, thanks!
 

Puerto Rico has the same issues with citrus. 
 

I had looked forward to growing a small grove of tasty citrus but I have little hope of that happening now. 

[richtrav]

I think term’s a grove of them down here east of Santa Rosa. They froze to the ground in 2021 and are certainly more tender than citrus but can recover faster.

[hbernstein]

What's remarkable is that the species is considered highly invasive throughout the state of Florida. It shows how little effort is being made to actually deal with invasive species in the state. Why cultivation of the species isn't prohibited is beyond me.

[PalmsInBaltimore]

1 hour ago, hbernstein said:

What's remarkable is that the species is considered highly invasive throughout the state of Florida. It shows how little effort is being made to actually deal with invasive species in the state. Why cultivation of the species isn't prohibited is beyond me.

I was wondering if it could become invasive in Florida if it's so effortless to grow there. Produces a lot of seed. Why is it not prohibited? I have no idea. Not sure if invasiveness is even on the radar of the CEO of the startup trying to grow them for biofuels and protein powders.

The UF IFAS website says, "In particular cases, this species may be considered for use under specific management practices that have been approved by the IFAS Invasive Plant Working Group." So I guess that means it will be approved if it's a viable cash crop. Are they trading the problem of a declining citrus industry for the new problem of an invasive species? We'll see

[hbernstein]

No one knowingly plants Pongam in South Florida anymore. Seeding trees quickly become landscape problems.

[Silas_Sancona]

On 7/11/2024 at 4:53 AM, hbernstein said:

What's remarkable is that the species is considered highly invasive throughout the state of Florida. It shows how little effort is being made to actually deal with invasive species in the state. Why cultivation of the species isn't prohibited is beyond me.

Agree 100% ...Remember seeing  Carrotwood, Scefflera actinophylla,  and Brazilian Pepper for sale in a few older nurseries a few times which baffled me since all 3 are near the top on the " don't plant " list there..

Overall issue of intentional neglect as it concerns dealing w/ invasive plants isn't confined to FL either.. Aside from highly localized efforts, I see little serious effort being made here to get a handle on both Stinknet and Buffelgrass  even though the spread of both has been directly linked to some of our recent, larger fires, esp. on the valley floors.

Still see Fountain Grass, and Siberian Elm, both of which is also trying to invade various areas of the state, being sold in the BB stores and some older nurseries. Bad enough that Non Native mesquites are still being offered.

As far as i'm concerned, any nursery that doesn't stop selling invasive things should be shut down ..or fined to such a degree that they're forced to fold ...if they continuously ignore destroy / stop selling X plant stock notices.  

Don't need any bad actors in the Hort. / Nursery trades getting off with just a weak slap on the wrist in 2024.