Plant Spotlight: Tree of Heaven, ‘Ailanthus Altissima’
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Tree-of-heaven leaves are composed of many individual leaflets.
Ryan Bohannon, NC State University CC BY 4.0
The Tree of Heaven is a non-native invasive tree that was introduced into the United States to be a shade tree. Its origin is China. It is an aggressive species in the Simaroubaceae family that can be found throughout N.C. This tree is also known as Ailanthus, Paradise-tree, or White Snakeroot. It can be confused with some Sumacs, Kentucky Coffee Tree, and Butternut.
It is most easily identified by its large compound leaves with glandular notched bases on the leaflets. The margins of the leaflets are toothed or serrated. The compound leaf can have 10-40 leaflets along the main stem. Another interesting way to identify this tree would be to smell the leaflets if they are broken or torn between your fingers.
Depending on the person it will give an off-putting smell such as burnt popcorn or burnt peanut butter. The tree’s flowers are a cluster of yellow in the spring and are followed by winged fruit called samaras. The samaras are the tree’s way of reproduction.
Immature, winged fruits – July – Halifax Co., NC
Cathy DeWitt
CC BY 4.0
Wind and rain will help disperse the samaras. Not only do the trees reproduce through seeds, but also suckers. If you pull up volunteers, they are easily identified by serrations near the base of their leaves before they flower. The growth of this tree is dense and prolific. It can tolerate poor soil conditions and displace native species to compete for nutrients, space, and sunlight. It is difficult to eradicate and poses other issues. It is a potential host for the invasive spotted lanternfly. This tree is listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council. If you are looking for shade trees to add to your landscape, think of alternatives to this tree that are native instead.
For more information please contact your local extension office or use the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: ‘Ailanthus altissima’- Tree of Heaven