Wax Tree

Toxicodendron succedaneum

Native to:
Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hainan, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Nepal, Ogasawara-shoto, Sumatera, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

📍 View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Anacardiaceae
Genus:
Toxicodendron
Species:
Toxicodendron succedaneum
USDA Symbol:
TOSU

Growth Characteristics

Height:
800 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may,jun,jul
Bloom Colors:
yellow, green

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Fall Color:
red, orange, yellow
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Can resprout from roots after fire or cutting. Produces highly flammable urushiol oil.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
Commonly found in forested and riparian areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
Germination Time:
14–42 days
Notes:
Seeds benefit from cold stratification. Fresh seed germinates more readily than stored seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI