bigcorn,

That sure shows how tough tree of heaven is and why it is a survivor that can spread in an area it likes. In Western Washington State, it is not a problem, so I enjoy it as it gives my garden a exotic, tropical look.

John

You know I know alot of people don't like this tree but I for one love It. Any tree that can survive what the TOH has I defiantly tip my hat to it. I think It Is a very pretty tree as well.

It is a beautiful tree with tropical foliage, pretty flowers, and neat bark, but it does take over. I would like to see pictures of it in its native habitat to see how well it plays with others. Too bad another Chinese tree, the ginkgo, isn't invasive, I wish it would make a forest. :)

Location, location, location.

Invasives have places where they are OK. In ohter places their use is inconsiderate of the environment.

Out here on what is a naturally treeless plain, invasive trees that are tough are generally not too inconsiderate.

Location and "moderation in all things" are big in discussing the evils of invasives.

There's been a lot of work done in recent years on the factors which make a species liable to be invasive; location (climate, soil) are important, but so are botanical features (seed size, age of first seed production, ease of seed dispersal, etc). Look for e.g. papers by M Rejmánek (University of California, Davis) and D M Richardson (University of Cape Town).

Resin

I'm another fan of this exotic-looking Tree!
In my back yard, however, the main trunks seem to die every two or three years...followed by new trunks from the root-mass. They're planted in a few feet of miserable soil on top bedrock, which holds water during the winter (and, I think, drowns the deeper roots). Then, during the spring, they tend to put out their buds early...which get blackened by the frosts of March and April.

This year, a few of the frost-burned Ailanthus survived, but their subsequent leaf-crops were much smaller than usual.

I might be the only person I know that grows Ailanthus in a pot. ;)

Josh

lol this is like secret thread for all the tree of heaven lovers to come out of the closet. I am an tree of heaven fan, too.
{{gwi:416051}}

a neighbor has trimmed the TOH way up high ..20 + ft. & left the top to grow so it looks like a kind of palm tree swaying in the wind! Me, I look for those darn seedlings that are coming up all over the neighborhood & yank them up... boy, do those crushed leaves smell awful! If in doubt about whether a TOH, just crush a leaf & you'll know for sure!!

Yeah, the leaves don't smell all so swell, but they don't smell as bad as cowpies I've stepped on, so that's an optimistic way to looks at things. And for city dwellers, most cities got some stench going on somewhere anyways, so TOH fits in great.

vieja, that's cool that it looks palm-like, one of its nicknames is ghetto palm.

lkz5ia, that's a great photo!
Ha, just like those marijuana growers do in their pics! ;)

Ailanthus smell like bad peanut-butter to me.

Josh

They grow everywhere in Ohio. I guess we should just get used to them, but I guess some selective pulling is not a bad idea. hehe It is about the only plant of Simaroubaceae that can easily find and grow. I wouldn't mind getting some Leitneria (Corkwood) if I could find some. I have a pot with Tree of Heavens, Ostrich Fern, Horsetail, and a Peony growing together. My experiment is to see who will win at the end. So far he Ostrich Fern is winning! ;)

It is quite invasive in the ravines around central Ohio, especially in disturbed areas. It even grows underneath bridges where nothing else grows, its like a tree version of a rat.

Doesn't Tree of Heaven actually inhibit the growth of other trees, thru a chemical or something.

It's really easy to break the trunk of the small trees with you bare hands, it snaps really easy. Just a thought for when you take a walk.

LOL well well boys and girls this does Indeed look like a thread of TOH lovers to come out of hiding, I for one Like I mentioned in a previous post LOVE this tree and admire It. Invasive or not I LOVE it and to you all that are against It, get use to it is here to stay and spread PERIOD. I really couldn't believe It was strong enough to live through kudzu but did I ever get fooled :) I ask this question to you all who like me love this tree,,,, what have you seen this tree go through and survive?? And have you ever seen another species of ANY vegetation win against it? I think Its interesting as hell to watch them fight It out In there own way. :)

lol, the problem I have, is they really don't grow that well from transplanting them. They really aren't around this area, no way they can compete here, cuz where I live, everything is agriculture. Only the toughest trees survive here. Apparently they aren't tough enough. Is there any mad scientist on this forum that can make TOH Male for me that is roundup resistant? I would greatly appreciate it.

lkzia... unique name by the way took me 6 times to spell it right LOL :) I think you might have answered your own question.. You said "They really aren't around this area"
"Only the toughest trees survive here" Your right they cant survive where they ain't even growing or EVEN AT for that matter LOL... think about it. And as far as being tough enough, well there isn't another tree on the planet that can survice a atomic bomb blast within 5 meters of where the bomb landed like this one did in Japan.... ITS TRUE go to DAVE'S GARDEN and type in tree of heaven and there is a link that documents It. Now tell me how many tress would survive that? LOL Im looking for some seeds of this tree, if ya got any and want to part with em let me know. I know how to make the tree very resistnat to round up.. simply apply it till it ALMOST dies then stops each time it should get stronger. LOL well at least Im thinking.

haha, you still spelled it wrong. lk are my initials, z5 is my zone which is 5, and ia is Iowa.
lol true that, I was just assuming that since they were so invasive and introduced so long ago, they would be here. But the problem with tree of heaven is that its not spread by animals. White mulberry is everywhere, spread by birds. And I thank the bird kingdom for giving me such a gift.

I have a few Mulberries growing in my yard. I try to keep it to no more than a few and new ones get yanked out. I have two that I have been trying to get rid of for over 10 years yet they keep sprouting back...

For many, many years, I called Ailanthus "Freeway Trees" - not knowing exactly what they were. Here, in the heart of Gold Rush country, California, they are ubiquitous, having come with the Chinese who both gold-mined and worked for the transcontinental railroad. Grass Valley, CA has excellent Ailanthus trees.

Someone also asked about the inhibiting chemicals of Ailanthus trees and, yes, the trees are allelopathic.

All of the Ailanthus in my yard were started by cuttings. The only "stand" that isn't doing well - and never has - sources from a bunch of Ailanthus spears that one of my neighbors brought over in a shovel and just plonked into the soil.

The Ailanthus trees that I planted in prepared holes in specific locations have done significantly better in terms of bio-mass and height, although they have still been subject to uncooperative weather.

Josh

You do it by root cuttings or stem cuttings?

I try to include some root now. But, historically, I've simply plopped woody stems into containers for friends. Root or no, I find that the Ailanthus cutting sulks for quite some time...then explodes with growth during the next season (if the deer don't get it, that is!).

The stand that my neighbor "planted" in my backyard was nothing more than a collection of spears. He dug a shallow hole, stuck them in, and that was that.

I've never tried this, but apparently Ailanthus can be grown from leaf-cuttings.

Also, this year I'm going to try digging up a first-year shoot with a big "bulb" of a root at the soil surface - I've been exposing it bit by bit, in the hopes that it'll survive "above ground." I like the look of the root, and I'll try to expose it further for a bonsai presentation.

Josh

Another closet ailanthus lover here. I even like the way they smell when they're in bloom.

I learned respect for this tree when two in the alley behind my NYC apartment building got tall enough to shade the roof. I loved the greenery and the (pungent) flowers right outside the window!

Still, I don't think I'd plant one intentionally...

Well, I guess in its own way it is kinda tropical and exotic looking (Ailanthus). But, for some (like me) it is hard to see past the invasive, problematic, foreign plant that it is. I do agree it looks nice when it is seemingly under control in a yard with bird-houses hanging from it. Its more important that it is liked by the beholder I suppose.
Will

Here is a link that might be useful: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v243/w4i0a/ailanthusanyone/