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Tree of Heaven has borers

5 years ago

Hi I bought a tree of heaven "ailanthus altissima" because no known borers are known to attack it. It is about 40 ft tall and 20 ft wide. But my tree of heaven definitely has borers because it has holes and a lot of leaking sap plus it is severely weakened which borers love to attack. I can't identify what type of borer it is because no known borers are known to attack ailanthus altissima. Do you know what type of borer might attack an ailanthus altissima that is severely weakened?

Featured Answer

Bookwoman

5 years ago

I don't, but please send your borers to me! Ailanthus is terribly invasive here, and my neighbors have a couple of them that shed leaves, put out suckers, and create zillions of seedlings all over one side of our property.

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Comments (8)

Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
5 years ago
Could it be a Sapsucker?

We don't know where you live but assuming you don't live in a place where actually planting Ailanthus is just short of an indictable offence (eastern North America), it could be Shothole Borer (California/west coast)?
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chesslogic135
Original Author
5 years ago
The tree I'm referring to is in Denver Colorado. It is a deep tree borer because I cut one large branch and there was larvae hanging out in the pith and heartwood.
Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
5 years ago
A photo would have helped. Doubt the branch had any heartwood...you probably meant sapwood. You also shouldn't see any pith past the 1st year of a new branch as it is replaced by xylem (sapwood).

As for the insect, Ailanthus isn't particularly vulnerable to any borer (outside of the shothole borers) so you're not going to get much help here. That and Ailanthus is as undesirable in Denver as it is in the east.
blakrab Centex
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Well, good riddance! :D Tree of Heaven is extremely invasive all over the US, and should already be commercially banned and destroyed on sight...much less still SOLD IN STORES!!! I mean, it really boggles my mind that nurseries still actually SELL them??!! Play NICE, people!!!
chesslogic135
Original Author
5 years ago
You are correct. I planted it 20 years ago and now it is a large tree with a huge trunk. It is 40 ft tall and 20 ft wide. I planted it for my grandma and now she is selling her house because of her old age, I just want to make sure the tree doesn't fall on the house for the people who buy it. I can't cut down the tree because I have no money. Those deep tree borers are dangerous because when I cut the large branch down the borer larvae had eaten most of the inside wood and if they are in the main trunk eating most of the pith and heartwood the tree could fall. So for the sake of the new people moving in I must do whatever I can to make the tree safe. Will you name all the deep tree borers that you know of? I know that other than the shot hole borer no known borers are known to at attack ailanthus altissima but it's not out of the realm of possibility that another borer could attack it. will you please help?
Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Could you just have found a grub growing in soft decaying interior wood of the tree? The roundheaded borers can compromise structural integrity if found in large numbers but that would happen on preferred species. Since Ailthanus isn't a preferred species here are 2 scenarios of increasing probability:

1. Your tree is infested and it's a danger because of wood borers weakening the structure of the tree. Since it isn't a preferred species, all the more preferable trees nearby are in even worse shape.

2. You've got interior rot and found a grub of some sort living in the rotting wood. The insect is incidental to the rot weakening the structure of the tree.
Embothrium
5 years ago
For more information take samples to your local USDA Cooperative Extension Service office. They like to be keep up to speed on what bugs are around anyway.

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