Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) SwingleNon-native  -  Invasive    Synonyms: Ailanthus glandulosa, Chinese Sumac, Ghetto Palm, Stinking Sumac, Tree of Hell, Varnish Tree.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Sapindales   >   Family Simaroubaceae   >   Genus Ailanthus   

Status:

Abundant and highly invasive species, introduced into the United States in the 1700s; it is now found throughout the state along roadsides and in disturbed areas.

"Introduced and naturalized from Asia; Massachusetts to southern Ontaria and Iowa, and southward" (Reed, 1964). Mechanical and chemical methods of control are expensive and not very effective.

Description:

Tree of Heaven is readily recognizable in winter by the membranous, twisted fruits, or samaras.

Where to find:

Easily found in empty lots and along roadsides.

Relationships:

A primary larval host plant of the Ailanthus Webworm Moth.

There are 508 records in the project database.

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Tree of Heaven in Kent Co., Maryland (6/7/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/18/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (8/12/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/14/2014). Photo by Elizabeth Miller. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/25/2018). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/18/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/8/2017). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Howard Co., Maryland (6/22/2013). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Harford Co., Maryland (8/13/2017). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

Close-up of Tree of Heaven in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/18/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/15/2017). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Washington Co., Maryland (7/22/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

The seedlings of Tree of Heaven showing the invasive root suckering in Carroll Co., Maryland (5/19/2019). Photo by Barbara Speckart. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/4/2014). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven fruits in winter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/16/2015). Photo by Jane Hill. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven growing in Kent Co., Maryland (5/2/2016). Photo by Dan Small. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven battling Japanese Honeysuckle at Eastern Neck NWR in Kent Co., Maryland (4/16/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Harford Co., Maryland (12/6/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Tree of Heaven sapling in winter in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/13/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven growing in Baltimore Co., Maryland (3/18/2018). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

The trunk of a large Tree of Heaven at Terrapin Nature Park, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (11/23/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

The trunk of a fairly young Tree of Heaven at Terrapin Nature Park, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (11/23/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/16/2021). (c) ws2018, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by ws2018 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Washington Co., Maryland (4/8/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in late fall at Terrapin Nature Park, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (11/23/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A very large Tree of Heaven in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/10/2016). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven growing in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/7/2017). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven growing in Baltimore Co., Maryland (11/27/2017). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Baltimore Co., Maryland (1/9/2019). (c) Peter M Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Peter M Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Baltimore Co., Maryland (1/9/2019). (c) Peter M Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Peter M Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/29/2019). (c) hausbaun, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by hausbaun via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Baltimore City, Maryland (9/26/2018). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/28/2021). No rights reserved. Photo by Ian via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tree of Heaven in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/11/2021). No rights reserved. Photo by Ian via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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MBP marks as "Invasive" any taxon listed in the Maryland Invasive Species Council (MISC) list of Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland. You can read their criteria and review the lists here: https://mdinvasives.org/species-of-concern/.