Ailanthus altissima – “tree of heaven” is everywhere in my garden. I have never seen this phenomenon covered in print or online or anywhere before so thanks. I have only experienced that when trying to cut or pull out the tree, which bruises or crushes leaves and stems, that there is a particular smell. Looks like a nice tree. If you want to receive more tips, sign up for the free OregonLive.com's newsletter. After it dries the smell goes away and it's actually decent firewood, and it splits easy. I eat the blossoms off Lindens. Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima and Staghorn Sumac, Rhus typhina, can be difficult to differentiate in the winter months. And here I thought it was Catalpa trees that smelled like that (or maybe Catalpas are a third tree in addition to Linden and ToH?) Tree-of-heaven is known for its “nutty” smell, and has large compound leaves that can have 10-41 leaflets; each leaflet has 1-2 teeth (edges) near its base. This is a fast-growing tree that typically grows into a large tree between 45 and 60 feet tall with a wide-spread crown that has multiple branches. In later years, the bark turns a darker grey and becomes rough. Its large, compound leaves somewhat resemble those of two native species, black walnut and staghorn sumac. To me it smells like natural fertilizer, if you catch my drift. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In the fall, this tree will be covered with thousands of seeds of its own, which in turn will fall to the ground and find their way into other cracks around the neighbourhood. Its rapid growth rate and ability to grow in harsh conditions with little care made this tree a popular horticultural plant relatively quickly in the east. 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 silk that is stronger and cheaper than mulberry silk, although with inferior gloss and texture. There were 2 tall ones when I moved in, and no sign of trouble for 10 years, then in the last 6 years, they have begun sprouting up everywhere. Neither the author nor Spacing necessarily agrees with posted comments. It stinks like rotten peanut butter. Fast-growing trees can also become expensive to remove, so acting sooner, rather than later, is often the better choice. Are you sure that was Staghorn Sumac and not Ailanthus Altissima (aka "Tree of Heaven")? Native to China, this tree can grow as much as 6 feet per year, with mature trees reaching 70 feet tall and living to be over 90 years of age. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. tree of heaven smell. So, I decided to cut one down near to, and leaning over my equipment shed. Tree of heaven _____ I have noticed that this tree seems to have several small flies that seem to hover around the trunk. This rapidly growing tree can reach a height of 80 feet, with up to a six-foot diameter trunk. All rights reserved (About Us). The tree of heaven makes a beautiful specimen tree for a large garden or a stunning shrub where space is limited, provided it is cut back hard each spring. Please support high-quality local journalism. It has red stems, but the biggest way to check is to take a piece of the leaf, crush it and smell it. Tree-of-heaven is naturalized throughout Washington. Rarely planted, trees-of-heaven are often referred to as weed trees because their ability to readily reproduce and tolerate harsh conditions allows them to grow in large numbers wherever they take root. Tree of Heaven Facts, Info on the Tree of Heaven. Although many people find it attractive, this fast-growing tree is generally considered as more of a weed. Tree-of-heaven is a Class B invasive species in Portland (see the Portland Plant List). He wrote: Pushing through the concrete in the front yard of 112 Westmoreland is a large tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). The stems have a … However, on close inspections of stems, buds, fruit pods and trunk, you can tell the difference. It’s also: funny. What can you do? It’s that annual time in June when the city becomes a fertile, fecund, festering flood of steamy spoors, stamens and swampy olfactory inducing elements so thick and organic it seems like we’re living inside a raunchy botanical porn film. But if you crush a leaf and smell a strong odor resembling rancid peanut butter or cat urine — that’s tree-of-heaven. Does that count as forager’s bukkake. By the early 1900s however, tree of-heaven began losing popularity due to its prolific root sprouting and weedy nature in human-occupied areas coupled with the foul odor of its stems and leaves (DiTomaso and Kyser, 2007). Tree of Heaven is a favored host of Spotted Lantern Fly, Lycorma delicatula. In addition, a new invasive species, spotted lanternfly, favor this tree and seem to be attracted to it. This ability to sprout from roots makes tree-of-heaven hard to manage and difficult to remove, typically requiring an herbicide. Heh. No matter how much I try to dig out the roots, their network is enormous – everywhere. greg mosser wrote:i usually refer to tree of heaven/ ailanthus as ‘stinktree’. I love it when people who either didn’t read an article thoroughly, or who apparently have poor English comprehension skills, leave snarky comments. Branches release a sickening smell when cut or broken. It’s called the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Immigrants later introduced tree-of-heaven to the West Coast in the 1850s. It is a fast growing tree, forming thickets that outcompete native plants. I don’t believe I said they were. The leaves of male trees smell terrible, like rancid peanuts or well-used gym socks. Trees flower in June or July, and form dense clusters of winged seeds by July or August. It leaches a variety of allelochemicals into the soil that have demonstrated inhibitory or toxic effects on neighboring plants. On top of its environmental impact, tree-of-heaven is hard on our homes and neighborhoods. I had already cut down a few and made kindling out of it. greg mosser wrote:i usually refer to tree of heaven/ ailanthus as ‘stinktree’. Yes, will, robust tree smells. But, but, but - the Tree of Heaven, also an invasive specie is an attractant of the Spotted Lantern Fly. Return to Content. I too despise it. From these areas, tree-of-heaven has spread and become a common invasive plant in urban, agricultural, and forested areas. When it escapes into uncultivated areas it can crowd out native trees. It was recently also listed as a priority environmental weed in two Natural Resource Management regions. If the trunk is 12 inches or more across, or growing along the street, removal may require a permit. By the early 1900s however, tree of-heaven began losing popularity due to its prolific root sprouting and weedy nature in human-occupied areas coupled with the foul odor of its stems and leaves (DiTomaso and Kyser, 2007). “Lest we think dealing with robust tree smells is our problem alone, see how the BBC deals with the smell of the Linden Tree”. Who cares if it smells funny. Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is an invasive plant that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. Whoever named this plant tree of heaven had a dim view of the afterlife. 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