State Declares War on "Killer Plant" — Banned by Law and May Result in a Fine of R$ 1,000

State Declares War on “Killer Plant” — Banned by Law and May Result in a Fine of R$ 1,000

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 16/10/2025 at 10:40

Updated on 16/10/2025 at 10:56

Imagem: IA

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Campaign of the Environment Institute of Santa Catarina Warns About the Risks of Spathodea, Ornamental Tree Toxic to Bees, and Reinforces the State Law That Prohibits Its Planting and Imposes a Fine of R$ 1,000 per Specimen

The Environment Institute of Santa Catarina (IMA) began this Monday (13) the campaign “Toxic Exotic Flora for Fauna – Spathodea”, aimed at raising awareness among the population about the environmental risks of Spathodea campanulata (killer plant for bees), known as spathodea, bisnagueira, or gaboon tulip tree.

Despite being ornamental and showy, the tree poses a direct threat to bees and pollination in the state.

Killer Plant for Bees: Law Prohibits Planting and Imposes Fine

The initiative reinforces compliance with the State Law No. 17,694/2019, which prohibits the production, planting, and maintenance of the species throughout the territory of Santa Catarina.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Why Spathodea Is Dangerous

Originating from West Africa, spathodea has large orange flowers that have adorned streets and squares for a long time.

However, studies have proven that its flowers contain lethal toxins for native bees and are harmful even to Apis mellifera, the species used in honey production.

These substances are present in the pollen, nectar, and mucilage of the flowers, causing the death of pollinators and disrupting entire ecosystems.

According to the IMA, the replacement should prioritize regional native species, adapted to the climate and soil of Santa Catarina.

Among the recommended species are ipês, aroeiras, canafístulas, ingás, corticeiras, and carobas, all safe for the fauna and beneficial for pollination.

For agronomist Elaine Zuchiwschi, coordinator of the State Program for Invasive Exotic Species of the IMA, “the publication of this law is an important step for society to learn and engage in the conscious management of flora and fauna species, seeking to promote more environmental balance than impacts.”

Municipalities Are Already Implementing Control Measures for the Killer Plant for Bees

Several cities in Santa Catarina have already started programs to replace spathodea. In Jaraguá do Sul, for example, the Jaraguaense Foundation for the Environment (Fujama) is mapping areas with the presence of the tree and notifying residents to carry out the removal within 60 days, as stipulated by Municipal Law No. 9,398/2023.

The biologist Gilberto Ademar Duwe, from Fujama, reinforces the seriousness of the problem:
“Behind its exuberance lies the aggressive impact on defenseless stingless bees. In Africa, pollinator insects are adapted to the flowers of this tree, but here in Brazil, they are not. Therefore, it is essential to remove and replace spathodeas throughout the region.”

Collective Responsibility

The IMA emphasizes that the management of exotic species is shared responsibility among municipalities, nurserymen, and citizens.

Anyone who maintains or plants spathodeas in Santa Catarina is subject to a fine of R$ 1,000 per tree, in addition to other environmental sanctions.

The agency reinforces that eliminating the species and replacing it with native trees is essential to protect bees and preserve ecological balance in the state.

With information from UOL.

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State Declares War on “Killer Plant” — Banned by Law and May Result in a Fine of R$ 1,000

Campaign of the Environment Institute of Santa Catarina Warns About the Risks of Spathodea, Ornamental Tree Toxic to Bees, and Reinforces the State Law That Prohibits Its Planting and Imposes a Fine of R$ 1,000 per Specimen

Killer Plant for Bees: Law Prohibits Planting and Imposes Fine

Why Spathodea Is Dangerous

Municipalities Are Already Implementing Control Measures for the Killer Plant for Bees

Collective Responsibility

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State Declares War on “Killer Plant” — Banned by Law and May Result in a Fine of R$ 1,000

Campaign of the Environment Institute of Santa Catarina Warns About the Risks of Spathodea, Ornamental Tree Toxic to Bees, and Reinforces the State Law That Prohibits Its Planting and Imposes a Fine of R$ 1,000 per Specimen

Killer Plant for Bees: Law Prohibits Planting and Imposes Fine

Why Spathodea Is Dangerous

Municipalities Are Already Implementing Control Measures for the Killer Plant for Bees

Collective Responsibility

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A giant half-ton ring fell in Kenya from space, and more than a year later, scientists still do not know where it came from.

In Botswana, a salt flat of up to 16,000 km² that was once an African megalake spends months as an absolute white desert, but during the rainy season it transforms into a shallow sea that reappears from nowhere and can be seen from space in the middle of southern Africa.

After two years of internal discussions, Paraguay has finally regulated the law that opens the country to foreign technology and service companies with tax incentives that promise to create thousands of jobs and change the economy.

Map reveals how the Earth may look in 250 million years: continents will reunite in the Last Pangaea, 92% of the planet could become uninhabitable for mammals, and Spain appears among the rare possible exceptions.

About 6,000 residents live concentrated along a single street nearly 9 km long in the interior of Poland, with houses forming a continuous row and narrow agricultural strips emerging behind them, creating one of the most unusual rural patterns in Europe.

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