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Tree of Heaven
A fast, foul-smelling, allelopathic invasive that resprouts and suckers so aggressively it's nearly impossible to kill - and the preferred host of the spotted lanternfly. Never plant it; this entry is for identifying and controlling it.
Safety notes Tree of heaven is not a food. Its sap can cause skin rashes and irritation, with rare reports of more serious reactions from heavy exposure, so wear gloves and eye protection when cutting it and wash sap off promptly. All parts smell strongly unpleasant (like rancid peanuts) when crushed, and the flowers and pollen can trigger allergies. It is a highly aggressive invasive and the spotted lanternfly's favored host. Cutting it without treating the stump makes it sucker far worse. Do not plant it.
Overview
Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) - sometimes called the 'tree from hell' by the people trying to remove it - is one of the most aggressive invasive trees in North America. Introduced from China, it now grows across much of the US, thriving in the harshest urban and disturbed sites: sidewalk cracks, alleys, railways, vacant lots, roadsides, fencerows, and forest edges. It's fast, tough, and foul-smelling (crushed leaves reek of rancid peanuts), and it's notorious for being almost impossible to kill because cutting or damaging it triggers explosive root suckering and resprouting.
It does damage in several ways: it outcompetes and chemically suppresses native plants (it's allelopathic, releasing compounds that inhibit other species), its roots damage pavement, foundations, and sewers, and - most consequentially in recent years - it's the preferred host of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest that threatens crops and trees. This entry is here to help you recognize and control tree of heaven - correctly, since cutting it the wrong way makes it worse - and to steer you toward native look-alikes to plant instead. Never plant it.
The one thing to knowIt's fast, tough, and foul-smelling (crushed leaves reek of rancid peanuts), and it's notorious for being almost impossible to kill because cutting or damaging it triggers explosive root suckering and resprouting.
Quick facts
For identification. Not a growing guide.
- Height
- 50 ftRange: 30–80 ft
- Spread
- 30 ftRange: 15–50 ft
- Cold
- Takes hard frostdamaged below -20°F
- Heat
- Struggles above 108°F
- Life cycle
- Perennial, lives about 50 years
- Self-sows
- Yes. Never let it set seed.
- Habitat
- Full sun · Part sun, well-drained soil
Through the year
A field guide through time
Explore the stages to recognize this plant throughout its life.
Stage 1 of 3 · The recurring year
Fast growth & suckering (identify & control)
Apr to Oct, every year
Know this stage
-
Recognize it: big compound leaves with glandular teeth, foul smell
Tree of heaven has very large compound leaves (1-3 feet long) with 10-40+ leaflets. The key ID: each leaflet has one or two rounded teeth near its base, each tipped with a tiny gland, and the leaflet edges are otherwise smooth - and crushed leaves or twigs smell strongly unpleasant (like rancid peanuts). It's often confused with native sumacs, walnut, and hickory; the glandular basal teeth and foul smell separate it.
-
Do NOT just cut it - treat, or it explodes into suckers
This is the critical warning: cutting, mowing, or damaging tree of heaven triggers a burst of aggressive root suckers and stump sprouts, often making the problem far worse. Effective control means SYSTEMIC HERBICIDE - basal-bark or hack-and-squirt / cut-stump treatment applied so it reaches the roots, ideally in mid-to-late summer - followed by removal. Pull tiny seedlings only; never simply cut established trees.
Months are typical seasonal windows; climate, variety, and plant age can shift them.
Watch out for
3 to know. 2 are high-risk: Aggressive Suckering Invasion (ecological harm), Spotted Lanternfly Host. 3 are active in October.
Aggressive Suckering Invasion (ecological harm)Severity High DisordernowSeason: Apr–OctDense stands of suckers spreading from parent trees (especially after cutting), seedlings in pavement and disturbed ground, and damage to nearby hardscape.
Dense stands of suckers spreading from parent trees (especially after cutting), seedlings in pavement and disturbed ground, and damage to nearby hardscape.
Systemic herbicide to reach the roots (basal-bark, hack-and-squirt, or cut-stump with immediate treatment), ideally late summer, then remove; follow up on suckers for several seasons.
Never plant it; treat (don't just cut) small infestations early; prioritize seed-bearing females.
The core hazard is ecological and structural: tree of heaven forms fast, suckering thickets that crowd out natives, releases allelopathic chemicals that suppress neighboring plants, and sends roots that damage pavement, foundations, and sewers - and it resists control because cutting triggers explosive suckering.
Spotted Lanternfly HostSeverity High PestnowSeason: May–OctSpotted lanternfly egg masses, nymphs, and adults on ailanthus trunks; honeydew and sooty mold below infested trees.
Spotted lanternfly egg masses, nymphs, and adults on ailanthus trunks; honeydew and sooty mold below infested trees.
Coordinate with local lanternfly and invasive-species programs; some management uses treated 'trap' trees - a job for professionals, not casual cutting.
Remove and control tree of heaven (correctly) in lanternfly areas; report lanternfly sightings to your state; follow quarantine guidance.
A major indirect hazard: tree of heaven is the preferred host of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive planthopper that feeds on and stresses grapevines, orchards, and hardwoods and excretes honeydew that fosters sooty mold - so ailanthus infestations help sustain and spread a serious agricultural and forest pest.
Irritant Sap & Offensive OdorSeverity Medium DisordernowSeason: Apr–OctSkin irritation after handling or cutting it bare-handed; strong rancid odor; allergy flare-ups near flowering male trees.
Skin irritation after handling or cutting it bare-handed; strong rancid odor; allergy flare-ups near flowering male trees.
Wash sap off skin and flush eyes with water; treat rashes as contact dermatitis and seek care for severe reactions.
Wear gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection when cutting it; wash sap off promptly; avoid crushing foliage near living spaces.
A direct hazard to people: the sap can cause skin rashes and irritation (with rare reports of more serious reactions from heavy exposure), and all parts have a strong offensive odor when crushed, with flowers and pollen that can trigger allergies.
Grower tips
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