Ailanthus altissima

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:	SIMAROUBACEAE
Species:	Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle
Common Name:	Tree of Heaven; Copal Tree; Stink Tree
Habitat:	**
Associated Ecological Communities:	**
Growth Habit:	Tree
Duration:	Perennial
Category:	Vascular
USDA Symbol:	**
Plant Notes:	Tree of Heaven is an introduced deciduous tree in the Quassia family (Simaroubaceae). It is native to Taiwan and central China. In Alabama it can be found throughout the state, mostly in urban areas. Tree of Heaven grows along roadsides and railroads, in vacant lots, and sometimes invades disturbed forests. It is commonly seen growing from cracks in sidewalks and building in cities. In “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, a Tree of Heaven grows from a crack in the cement of a courtyard where the Nolan family lives. It was first introduced into the United States in Pennsylvania (1784) and in New York (1820) where it was planted as an ornamental. Tree of Heaven is a deciduous tree that can reach 80 feet in height, but it often shrubby in growth form. It has shallow roots, and often forms thickets from suckers. It has a straight trunk with smooth gray bark. The wood is brittle and trees often break or loose limbs. Leaves are alternate, odd pinnately compound with 15-27 leaflets, and can be 3 feet in length. The leaflets are lanceolate in outline with 1-5 gland tipped teeth near the base. The leaves are pubescent and glandular on both surfaces. Flowers are produced in large terminal panicles on short shoots. The flowers are usually unisexual, though some individuals produce perfect flowers. The flowers have 5 green, pubescent petals. The flowers and foliage produces a malodorous smell, especially when damaged. The fruit is a winged schizocarp. Tree of Heaven is also allelopathic (it produces a chemical that is released into the environment and inhibits other plants). Other common names for this species include “ghetto palm”, “Chinese Sumac”, “Stink Tree”, and “Tree of He**”. Tree of Heaven is listed as a Category 2 invasive species in Alabama by the Alabama Invasive Plant Council.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:	**
Status:	Not Native
References:	**
Specimen:	View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Family	SIMAROUBACEAE - Quassia family
Genus	Ailanthus
Species	Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle - Tree of Heaven; Copal Tree; Stink Tree

Citation

Citation	Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle, J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 6(14): 495. 1916.
Basionym:	Toxicodendron altissimum Mill. 1768.
Type:	CHINA: Cult. in England,

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Ailanthus altissima var. erythrocarpa	Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle, var. erythrocarpa (Carrière) Rehder, Man. Cult. Trees 527. 1927.	Ailanthus erythrocarpa Carrière 1867.
Ailanthus altissima var. pendulifolia	Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle, var. pendulifolia (Dippel) Rehder, Man. Cult. Trees 527. 1927.	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. pendulifolia Dippel 1892.
Ailanthus altissima var. sutchuensis	Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle, var. sutchuensis (Dode) Rehder & E. H. Wilson, in Sargent, Pl. Wilson. 3: 449. 1917.	Ailanthus sutchuensis Dode 1907.
Ailanthus cacodendron	Ailanthus cacodendron (Ehrhart) Schinz & Thellung, Mém. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 38: 679. 1912.	Rhus cacodendron Ehrhart 1783.
Ailanthus cacodendron var. sutchuensis	Ailanthus cacodendron (Ehrhart) Schinz & Thellung, var. sutchuensis (Dode) Rehder & E. H. Wilson, in Sargent, Pl. Wilson. 2: 153. 1914.	Ailanthus sutchuensis Dode 1907.
Ailanthus erythrocarpa	Ailanthus erythrocarpa Carrière, Rev. Hort. 38: 419. 1867.		CHINA
Ailanthus giraldii var. duclouxii	Ailanthus giraldii Dode, var. duclouxii Dode ex Rehder, Man. Cult. Trees 527. 1927.
Ailanthus glandulosa var. rubra	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. rubra (H. Jaeger) Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. 2: 365. 1892.	Ailanthus rubra H. Jaeger 1884.
Ailanthus glandulosa var. erythrocarpa	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. erythrocarpa (Carrière) Mouillefert, Traite Arbr. Arbriss. 1: 222. 1891.	Ailanthus erythrocarpa Carrière 1867.
Ailanthus glandulosa var. pendulifolia	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. pendulifolia Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. 2: 365. 1892.
Ailanthus glandulosa var. spinosa	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. spinosa A. Vilmorin & Bois, Frutic. Vilmor. 31. 1904.
Ailanthus glandulosa var. sutchuensis	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. sutchuensis (Dode) Rehder, Mitt. Deutsch. Dendrol. Ges., ed. 2. 1912: 187. 1913.	Ailanthus sutchuensis Dode 1907.
Ailanthus macrophylla	Ailanthus macrophylla G. Nicholson, Hand-List Trees Shrubs 1: 53. 1894.
Ailanthus mascula	Ailanthus mascula G. Nicholson, Hand-List Trees Shrubs 1: 94. 1894.
Ailanthus peregrina	Ailanthus peregrina (Buchoz) Barkley, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 24: 264. 1937.	Albonia peregrina Buchoz 1783.
Ailanthus pongelion	Ailanthus pongelion J. F. Gmelin, Syst. Nat. 2: 726. 1791, nom. illegit.	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines 1788.
Ailanthus procera	Ailanthus procera Salisbury, Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 171. 1796, nom. illegit.	Ailanthus cacodendron Ehrhart 1783.
Ailanthus rhodoptera	Ailanthus rhodoptera F. Mueller, Fragm. 3: 43. 1862.
Ailanthus rubra	Ailanthus rubra H. Jaeger, in H. Jaeger & Beissner, Ziergeh. Gaertn. Parkanl., ed. 2. 18. 1884.
Ailanthus sutchuensis	Ailanthus sutchuensis Dode, Bull. Soc. Dendrol. France 1907: 192. 1907.		CHINA
Ailanthus vilmoriniana	Ailanthus vilmoriniana Dode, Rev. Hort. 1904: 444, f. 184. 1904.	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. spinosa A. Vilmorin & Bois 1904.
Albonia peregrina	Albonia peregrina Buchoz, Herb. Color. Amerique pl. 57. 1783.
Pongelion cacodendron	Pongelion cacodendron (Ehrhart) Farwell, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 12: 67. 1930.	Rhus cacodendron Ehrhart 1783.
Pongelion glandulosum	Pongelion glandulosum (Desfontaines) Pierre, Fl. Cochinch. 4: pl. 294. 1893.	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines 1788.
Pongelion vilmorinianum	Pongelion vilmorinianum (Dode) Van Tiegham, Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., ser. 9. 4: 276. 1906.	ilanthus vilmorinianum Dode 1904; Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, var. spinosa A. Vilmorin & Bois 1904.
Rhus cacodendron	Rhus cacodendron Ehrhart, Hannover. Mag. 21: 225. 1783.
Rhus sinensis	Rhus sinensis J. Ellis ex Houttuyn, Nat. Hist. 2: 212. 1774.
Toxicodendron altissimum	Toxicodendron altissimum Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8. 1768.		CHINA: Cult. in England,
Ailanthus glandulosa	Ailanthus glandulosa Desfontaines, Mém. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 1786: 265, pl. 8. 1788.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Cherokee, Coffee, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dallas, Etowah, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lee, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Pike, St. Clair, Sumter, Tuscaloosa

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: -

Barcode / Accession No.	County	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
UWAL0035222	Madison	02 Jun 2017	England, J. Kevin 7917	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134166	Jackson	1 Jun 1969	Landers, Kenneth E. s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
ALNHS00000469	Dallas	24 May 2010	Barger, T. Wayne OC-244	ALNHS Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
AUA_ACC_56159	Bullock	4 May 1994	Diamond, Alvin R. 9129	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134151	Calhoun	13 Sep 1992	Spaulding, Daniel D. 2876	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0004213	Sumter	10 Jul 2006	Keener, Brian R. 3182	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill) Swingle
AUA_ACC_55275	Pike	10 May 1994	Diamond, Alvin R. 9154	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
UWAL0039343	Montgomery	12 May 2016	Diamond, Alvin R. 27390	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA_ACC_47112	Conecuh	13 Sep 1987	Diamond, Alvin R. 3619	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134162	Etowah	19 Jun 1994	Hodge, Lesley M. 2652	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000035586	Butler	25 Jun 2012	Diamond, Alvin R. 23136	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134161	Cherokee	8 Jul 1969	Cofield, Jan s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000043595	Marengo	19 Jul 2013	England, J. Kevin 4427	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA000038060	Madison	2 Jun 2017	England, J. Kevin 7917	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
TROY000024120	Crenshaw	03 Aug 2008	Diamond, Alvin R. 19706	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA_ACC_73113	Lauderdale	9 Jul 2015	England, J. Kevin 5521	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134170	Madison	29 Jun 1969	Tudor, Jessica s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
SAMF0003385	Tuscaloosa	28 May 1982	Davenport, Lawrence J. 2248	SAMF Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA000038517	Lee	25 May 1954	Skinner, Jr., N.S.	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134158	Cherokee	8 Jul 1969	Payne, Jan E. s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134168	Madison	11 May 1996	Spaulding, Daniel D. 8288	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000009227	Coffee	15 Sep 2000	Martin, Brian H. 959	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA000043835	Lee	2 Jun 2018	Taylor, Chris T. CSP-486	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
AUA_ACC_10149	Lee	19 Apr 1962	Landers, K.E.	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
UNA00062312	Jefferson	18 Jun 2003	Spaulding, Daniel D. 11973	UNA Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
UWAL0044834	Jackson	13 Jul 2019	England, J. Kevin 10426	UWAL Ailanthus altissuma (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134160	Calhoun	24 May 1969	Landers, Kenneth E. s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000009228	Pike	20 May 1989	Hughes, Michelle 29	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0042781	Baldwin	10 Aug 2002	Larsen, Harry S. 1074	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle
JSU134167	Madison	17 Aug 1967	Clark, Ross C. 18392	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134154	Calhoun	13 Sep 1992	Spaulding, Daniel D. 2876	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UNA00055631	Blount	08 Jun 1998	Keener, Brian R. 935	UNA Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
AUA_ACC_17229	Lee	3 Aug 1969	Miller, L.C. 222	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134150	Calhoun	27 Sep 1992	Spaulding, Daniel D. 2945	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000023985	Jackson	20 Jul 2008	Keener, Brian R. 4697	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA_ACC_49011	Bullock	9 May 1988	Diamond, Alvin R. 4741	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134152	Calhoun	20 Sep 1992	Spaulding, Daniel D. 2880	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134163	Etowah	21 Jun 1969	Cofield, Jan s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000023986	Marshall	12 Jun 1993	Ballard, J. Mark 2599	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
USAM000014634	Mobile	24 Aug 1976	LeLong, Michel G. 9440	USAM Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0004212	Jackson	20 Jul 2008	Keener, Brian R. 4697	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill) Swingle
AUA_ACC_72151	Marengo	19 Jul 2013	England, J. Kevin 4427	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134169	Madison	22 Jun 1969	Tudor, Jessica s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0017427	Marengo	19 Jul 2013	England, J. Kevin 4427	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0011298	Butler	25 Jun 2012	Diamond, Alvin R. 23136	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134157	Etowah	14 Sep 1982	Pugh, F.E. 44	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134172	Marshall	11 Oct 1991	Spaulding, Daniel D. 1070	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0012624	Bullock	29 Mar 2012	Dykes, Bailee 471	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA_ACC_3189	Lee	15 May 1949	Cunningham, Hugh B.	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
AUA_ACC_63402	Jefferson	18 Jun 2003	Spaulding, Daniel D. 11973	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
TROY000023984	Jefferson	18 Jun 2003	Spaulding, Daniel D. 11973	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000038493	Bullock	29 Mar 2012	Dykes, Bailee 471	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134159	Cherokee	8 Jul 1969	Landers, Kenneth E. s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134165	Jackson	15 May 1998	Brodeur, Kristin R. 1036	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134156	Cherokee	8 Jul 1969	Cobb, Peggy s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UNA00064167	Jackson	15 May 1998	Brodeur, Kristin R. 1036	UNA Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
USAM000014633	Mobile	24 Aug 1976	LeLong, Michel G. 9440	USAM Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
TROY000043938	Montgomery	12 May 2016	Diamond, Alvin R. 27390	TROY Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UWAL0019503	Lauderdale	09 Jul 2015	England, J. Kevin 5521	UWAL Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
AUA_ACC_10155	Lee	19 Apr 1962	Bass, M.H.	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
JSU134171	Marshall	30 Jul 1992	Spaulding, Daniel D. 2455	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134155	Calhoun	5 Oct 1986	Lawler, Carol L. 1320	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU144244	Calhoun	25 May 1969	Landers, Kenneth E. s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134164	Jackson	15 Jul 1998	Brodeur, Kristin R. 1036	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU153920	St. Clair	10 Jul 1969	Clonts, Jerry A. s.n.	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
UNA00064166	Jackson	15 May 1998	Brodeur, Kristin R. 1036	UNA Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
UNA00066924	Sumter	10 Jul 2006	Keener, Brian R. 3182	UNA Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
AUA000043793	Madison	8 Oct 2020	Hansen, Curtis J. 7871	AUA Ailanthus Altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle
SAMF0003386	Cullman	08 May 1965	Myers, Martha Crystal s.n.	SAMF Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle
JSU134153	Calhoun	27 Sep 1992	Spaulding, Daniel D. 2945	JSU Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Brian R. Keener, Ph.D.

Data last modified: 11/9/2024

Web Development: The Florida Center for Community Design + Research

A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org sites

Citation Information:

Keener, B.R., A.R. Diamond, T.W. Barger, L.J. Davenport, P.G. Davison, S.L. Ginzbarg, C.J. Hansen, D.D. Spaulding, J.K. Triplett, and M. Woods. 2024. Alabama Plant Atlas. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.

Data, text, and images licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Ailanthus altissima

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Classification

Citation

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution