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Ailanthus altissima
Also called Chinese Tree Of Heaven, China Sumac, Chinese Sumac, Copal Tree, Ailanthus, Stink Tree, Varnish Tree
Tree of heaven is a fast-growing deciduous tree from China and Taiwan, grown as an ornamental but notorious as an aggressive invasive weed in North America and Europe. Plant it only where it can be controlled, since it spreads readily by seed and root suckers.
Ailanthus altissima ( ay-LAN-thəss al-TIH-sim-ə), commonly known as tree of heaven or ailanthus tree, is a deciduous tree in the quassia family. It is native to northeast, central China, and Taiwan. Unlike other members of the genus Ailanthus, it is found in temperate climates rather than the tropics.
The tree grows rapidly, and is capable of reaching heights of 15 metres (50 ft) in 25 years. While the species rarely lives more than 50 years, some specimens exceed 100 years of age. It is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species, and one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America. In 21st-century North America, the invasiveness of the species has been compounded by its role in the life cycle of the also destructive and invasive spotted lanternfly.
Ailanthus altissima is native to northern and central China, Taiwan, and northern Korea. Fossil records indicate that the species was distributed as far west as Poland and Turkey in the Miocene period more than 5 million years ago. In Taiwan it is present as var. takanai. In China it is native to every province except Hainan, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Ningxia, and Qinghai. It has been introduced in many regions across the world, and is found on every continent except Antarctica.
In addition to its use as an ornamental plant, the tree of heaven is also used for its wood and as a host plant to feed silkworms of the moth Samia cynthia, which produces a coarse and hard-wearing silk unable to take dye. This type of silk is known under various names: "pongee", "eri silk", and "Shantung silk", the last name being derived from Shandong in China where this silk is often produced. Its production is particularly well known in the Yantai region of that province. The moth has also been introduced in the United States.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Ailanthus altissima by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
