Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Sapindales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Ailanthus altissima
FAMILY
Simaroubaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Extrafloral nectaries, nectar-producing glands physically apart from the flower, occur in 2000+ plant species, including Ailanthus. Read more at UF/IFAS Extension.
Read more about Ailanthus at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
In our area, this tree is now an aggressive and noxious weed, colonizing even undisturbed forests and outcompeting the native vegetation, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ailanthus altissima
FAMILY
Simaroubaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Ailanthus altissima
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Ailanthus altissima
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 104-01-001:
Ailanthus altissima FAMILY Simaroubaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ailanthus altissima
COMMON NAME:
Ailanthus, Tree-of-heaven, Stink-tree
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_aigl_001_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm0301a_22a
January Greenville County SC
Lateral buds partly surrounded by the large, shield-shaped leaf scar, per Woody Plants of Kentucky and Tennessee (Jones & Wofford, 2013).
COMPARE
leaf scars of Sumac and Tree-of-heaven
)
JK Marlow jkm080317_001
March Greenville County SC
Clusters of wing-shaped fruit persistent on female trees, per Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests (Miller, 2003).
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JK Marlow jkm160328_161
March Greenville County SC
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JK Marlow jkm0204l_04
April Greenville County SC
The leaf scar is heart-shaped, per Winter Tree Finder (Watts & Watts, 1970).
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JK Marlow jkm090417_001
April Greenville County SC
Parking lot
Interesting twig "architecture"...
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JK Marlow jkm210401_9067
April Polk County NC
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JK Marlow jkm090521_021
May Greenville County SC
Tree-of-heaven on left; Black Locust on right.
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JK Marlow jkm090524_032
May Pickens County SC
Roadside ditch
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JK Marlow jkm110514_544
May Greenville County SC
Leaflets entire except for basal teeth, each with a prominent gland beneath, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm170512_479
May Greenville County SC
Flowers in large (often 4dm long) terminal panicles, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm170512_489
May Greenville County SC
5 sepals each < 1mm long; 5 petals each 1.5-2.5mm long, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm170512_489b
May Greenville County SC
Petals densely pubescent near the base. (Staminate flowers have 10 stamens.), per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm170512_496
May Greenville County SC
Five petals (or maybe sometimes 6?).
)
JK Marlow jkm170512_498
May Greenville County SC
Extrafloral nectaries can be found on the leaflet margins, per Many Plants Have Extrafloral Nectaries Helpful to Beneficials (Mizell, 2001).
)
JK Marlow jkm190506_8177
May Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
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Keith Bradley kab_a_altissima_73609
May Polk County NC
Colonizing even undisturbed forests and outcompeting the native vegetation, per Weakley's Flora (2012).
)
JK Marlow s000504_bc
May Greenville County SC
Leaves w 11-29 leaflets, entire except for rounded basal gland-tipped teeth, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
COMPARE
leaves of Sumac and Tree-of-heaven
)
JK Marlow jkm0306b_16
June Greenville County SC
Roadside
Fruit a schizocarp w 2-5 samaroid [samara-like] mericarps each w a single seed, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm0306b_23
June Greenville County SC
Parking lot
)
JK Marlow jkm0306h_22
June Greenville County SC
Shade-intolerant, Ailanthus thrives near the reflected warmth of buildings, per Book of Field and Roadside (Eastman, 2003).
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JK Marlow jkm0306h_25
June Greenville County SC
Petiolules 0.2-1cm long, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm0406l_11
June Greenville County SC
Populates city alleys, vacant lots, railroad embankments, dump sites..., per Book of Field and Roadside (Eastman, 2003).
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JK Marlow jkm060709_050
July Fayette County WV
Adapts to a wide variety of soils, moisture conditions and temperatures, per Book of Field and Roadside (Eastman, 2003).
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JK Marlow jkm0408f_01
August Greenville County SC
Parking lot
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Ailanthus altissima
FAMILY
Simaroubaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ailanthus altissima
FAMILY
Simaroubaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Ailanthus altissima
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Ailanthus altissima
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 104-01-001:
Ailanthus altissima
FAMILY
Simaroubaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ailanthus altissima
43
Tree
Perennial
Polygamous
Habitat: Roadsides, forests, disturbed areas, including cities, especially in moist, fertile soils, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: east Asia
Common (uncommon in Coastal Plain)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council
- NC Botanical Garden
- NC Department of Transportation
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- SC Native Plant Society
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Odd-pinnately compound: 15-27 leaflets
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Yellowish-green
Radially symmetrical
5 sepals
5 petals
10 stamens in staminate flowers/2-3 stamens in perfect/absent in pistillate
Bisexual & unisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Pink
Schizocarp of samaroid mericarps
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p383
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p520
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p095
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p024
- Identifying Trees: An All-Season Guide to Eastern North America (Williams, 2007) p134
- Invasive Exotic Plants of North Carolina (Smith, 2008) p012
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p082
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007) p347
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p078
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p09
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p052
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