Tree of heaven
Ailanthus altissima · Simaroubaceae · also Ailanthus, Chinese sumac, Stinking sumac
A fast, weedy tree (40-60 feet) with long compound leaves that smell like burnt peanut butter when crushed, smooth gray bark and clusters of papery winged seeds. A single tree can shed hundreds of thousands of seeds a year and send up root suckers dozens of feet away, forming thickets that crowd out natives, crack pavement and foundations, and poison nearby plants with its own chemicals. It is also the favored host of the spotted lanternfly. Do not plant it.
Where it stands
Native
- 🇨🇳 China · Native to China
Care
Not recommended for planting anywhere in the US. To remove it, cutting alone triggers massive root suckering; the effective approach is a basal-bark or cut-stump herbicide treatment in mid to late summer, followed by several years of pulling or treating sprouts. Report it to your state invasive species program if it appears in a natural area.
Benefits
Good for