Tree of Heaven

Species Name:      Ailanthus altissima
Family:                  Simaroubaceae (quassia family)
Plant Type:            Broad-leaf tree

Description:  Deciduous tree, height up to 80 feet tall (20 m), with a broad, smooth stem and pale gray bark.

Leaf:  Large pinate leaves, 1-4 feet in length (0.3-1.3 m) Each leaflet has one to several glandular teeth near the base

Flower: Dioecious (male and female plants) In late spring, clusters of small, yellow-green flowers appear near the tips of branches.

Fruit/Seed: Seeds are samaras (small flat papery winged structures) produced on female trees in late summer to early fall.  The  fruits may hang on the tree for long periods of time.

Typical Location:  Found in riparian areas, grasslands and oak woodlands

Invasiveness:  Tree of heaven is successful in both sexual and asexual reproduction.  Some trees have been documented to producing over 325,000 seeds per year, and vegetative sprouts can pop-up through cracks in cement.

Key Notes:  Correct identification of Ailanthus is essential, because it looks similar to several California native species like Oregon ash and black walnut

Notes:  Tree of heaven is listed with the California Department of Food & Agriculture as a noxious weed, and calls for its eradication, containment or entry refusal.

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