Scientific Name:
Ailanthus altissima
Pronunciation:
ay-LAN-thus al-TISS-ih-muh
Common Name:
tree of heaven
Family Name:
Simaroubaceae
Plant Type:
Invasive plant, Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves alternate, even-pinnately compound, 45-60cm long; leaflets 14-26, most lanceolate-oblong, 4-8cm long x 3-6cm wide, margins mostly entire except minutely ciliate and for 2-4 small asymmetrical lobes near the base; panicles 20-40cm long with greenish white florets; samaras turning from green-pink to orange-red then brown, most 3-4cm long. Winter ID: leaf scar is larger than bud, bud small and round, samaras persistent or on ground.
Habit:
Arching, Spreading, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
22 - 30m
Mature Spread:
10 - 15m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
S.E. Asia / Japan / China (northern China)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Acidic, Rocky or gravelly or dry, Well-drained
Water Use:
Low
Landscape Uses:
Shade tree, Specimen plant, Street (boulevard tree), Tall background
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glandular hairs
Compound Leaf:
Even-pinnate
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Green-yellow
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Oblong
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Truncate
Margins:
Ciliate, Dentate, Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Panicle, Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Dioecious plant
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, White, Green
Flower Scent:
Unpleasant
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun
Fruit Type:
Samara
Fruit Colour:
Red
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Showy, Persistent
Bark Morphology:
Showy, Smooth, Prominent lenticels, Lightly fissured
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey
Leaf Bud Type:
Rounded or globular
Leaf Scar Shape:
U-shaped
Organ Modifications:
Storage tap root
Propagation:
Seed, Division - below ground parts
Maintenance:
High
Pest Susceptibility:
Galls, Rust, Wilt (Drought tolerant)
