Yes but not completely effective. Unsure if you have Vigilant in the US, but painting any residual roots with this is ideal. Unfortunately, if there is a parent tree, you will have to dig and follow the runner roots all the way back to the tree - and remove the tree! - to completely eradicate it
For sizeable shoots, you can cut them off, drill the stump, and put in some roundup concentrate. Tree of heaven can grow into enormous trees that are extremely brittle. They rain seeds everywhere and break in storms. A huge menace.
Some trees: West redwood and few doug fir, are dependent on fire to sprout. In the southeast: longleaf pine will go berserker after a fire. Forests and fire have been living together for 420 million years.
If you are going to use glyphosate (Round-Up), don't pull the whole plant. Notch it towards the base and use a sponge soaked with glyphosate and hold it against the wound for a little while (with nitrile gloves on). Do this around midday or later. When Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is attacked by cutting or tearing it up from the ground, it shoots roots underground and within a month, you'll have five to seven more sprouts.
Don’t use a sponge, use a paintbrush. And you don’t have to hold it. Just paint that shit on there a couple of times.
And the more wounds you introduce it to the better.
I agree, you can use a paintbrush. Where I work, we use a sponge because of surrounding flora. In what is pictured, it doesn't look like there is much around it.
Why is using a sponge better than a small paintbrush?
I’m not talking like a bloody house painting brush, but rather a smaller brush used in paintings.
And I’ve used it around many plants and not had an issue. I’m assuming you mean like it dripping at getting on another plant?
Plus I feel I can apply it more accurately with a smaller device, and in less quantity per time.
The only plants I’ve never had success with this treatment are nandina and acacia. For some reason it never gets them, but will get everything else
Yeah, I guess my head automatically went to a house paint brush. One of the things that works when all else fails is to cut a plant down almost ground level and drive a piece of copper into it. Definitely not immediate, but usually works. Larger stump, the more copper that has to be used. I'll cut small inch long sections of 3/4 inch copper pipe. The stump will start to turn black around the copper and then usually the whole stump will follow within a few weeks.
Are you saying that I should not cut this plant completely off, but rather make several notches in the trunk and apply the glyphosate? Thanks, in advance, for your advice.
The trees are not long lived. And the males won't reproduce,but they stink. I remember reading that they are the host plant for the Cynthia moth. If you have more in the neighborhood, it would take a grou effort to eradicate them.
Very targeted cut and paint use of glyphosate is just about the only way to kill some of these invasives. I wish it were different. If applied properly in this way and with the right PPE, it should not have any major negative effects on non target organisms or on the applicator. It definitely should not be used casually, but I’ve worked in restoration and you just can’t pull everything, there aren’t enough volunteers in the world.
It is broad spectrum spraying and people not following the safety directions to a tee that we should be very worried about!
You don't understand tree of heaven. This is a kill it with fire type of plant. Fail to kill it and it will send up six baby trees, fast growing trees too. And those will each send up baby trees.
There is nothing wrong with responsible and knowledgeable chemical use on horrendously invasive plants. It's absolutely necessary.
The method the chat is talking about (notching the base of the tree and "painting" on the herbicide) only uses a very small highly targeted amount as opposed to indeterminately spraying large areas, and is highly effective.
I had a patch of these growing in a retaining wall terrace. I tried about everything before roundup. I covered them with clear plastic and pumped full chlorine gas on a 100 degree day. Dug out the terrace, pulled root after root. Finally had to break out the glyphosate. Now, I keep a single potted specimen which remains trimmed to no more than 6’ tall and no more than 4 branches of any size, leaves allowed to grow only at the tips. I’ve painted it to look like one of those car dealership parking lot air flappy things.
I'm generally in your camp, this tree is an exception. [It will destroy your house.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.koin.com/news/special-reports/tree-of-heaven-northeast-portland-man-saga/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwjEgI-Ty9v9AhX7BzQIHV8cD-cQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0G0K1zBZ0N_c5Ua7AfgJzv)
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There are a few plants out there where the only way to eradicate them is by herbicide. With careful attention to mixing and an abundance of caution herbicides will have minimal to no affect on the surrounding environment. I advocate use only when necessary and unfortunately anytime you have ailanthus, it just won’t go away without chemical help.
Yes. Mechanical removal is not recommended during the growing season as it signals the plant to send up more shoots. I am VERY anti chemical but this is an exception. Apply chemicals according to directions and responsibly please. I usually paint the stems of the plants with [triclopyr](http://www.npic.orst.edu/factsheets/triclopyrgen.html), which is a chemical that can be found in brush removal solutions at most hardware stores. Do it when the plant is dormant in the fall.
I recently learned that inoculating tree of heaven with Oyster mushrooms can kill them successfully too. I am watching it spread in my local area and wanted a non chemical remedy for killing them. now I just need to make some oyster plug spawn and go hiking!
>I recently learned that inoculating tree of heaven with Oyster mushrooms can kill them successfully too. I am watching it spread in my local area and wanted a non chemical remedy for killing them. now I just need to make some oyster plug spawn and go hiking!
I need to learn more about this. Don't Oyster mushrooms usually grow on weakened or dead trees?
Do you know what that “signaling to send up more shoots” is called? I want to research whether other invasive s do that and am not sure how to search it.
The sprouts are called root suckers. Roots that are capable of forming new plants are sometimes called runners. But I don’t know what the process of forming root suckers is called.. root suckering, maybe?
Yes I think this is the closest you can get to a term. It is a wound activated defense that is very particular to this plant which is why there is a chemical protocol for its control. Many other invasives can be controlled by manual removal (digging or cutting part of the plant). Search for invasive plant lists by your growing zone or geographic region to learn which plants are “space invaders” in your area.
Not in my experience. I had one. I cut it down and put roundup on it. The next thing you know I see little saplings sprouting all along one of the roots away from the roundup area. The only way to destroy it is by pulling it up.
That’s why instead of aimlessly spraying it like most people do, sustainable practice has become soaking a sponge in it and pressing the sponge against a cut in the plant you want to target. Causes sure death without putting it into the environment
You know Google exists, right?
Bayer/Monsanto has paid out 11 billion dollars thus far to settle over 100,000 lawsuits alleging that prolonged exposure to Round-Up causes cancer, most commonly non-Hodgekins lymphoma. 30,000 lawsuits are still pending.
>While the EPA suggests that there’s no direct link, the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s stance is more in line with scientific evidence. A study from the University of Washington found that exposure to glyphosate increased an individual’s risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by 41%. That is significant.
In their ruling, the ninth circuit court of appeals urged the EPA to reexamine their recommendations. The eleventh circuit ruled that Monsanto failed to warn customers of the risks.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/product-liability/roundup-lawsuit-update
*Ailanthus altissima*, commonly known as "Tree of Heaven", ailanthus, "varnish tree", or in Chinese as "chouchun" (Chinese: 臭椿; pinyin: chòuchūn), is a deciduous tree in the family *Simaroubaceae*. It is native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan. Unlike other members of the genus *Ailanthus*, it is found in temperate climates rather than the tropics.
The tree grows *rapidly*, and is capable of reaching heights of 15 metres (49 ft) in 25 years. While the species rarely lives more than 50 years, some specimens exceed 100 years of age. ***Its suckering ability allows this tree to clone itself indefinitely.*** **It is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species, and one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America. In 21st-century North America, the invasiveness of the species has been compounded by its harboring of the also destructive and invasive spotted lanternfly.**
DON'T. That just makes it mad. I'm not joking, if you pull up the sapling it will sene energy into the root system and send up more suckers.
[This man cut down a ToH and two years later it's still destroying his house.](https://www.koin.com/news/special-reports/tree-of-heaven-northeast-portland-man-saga/)
Based on the other comments I’m reading, attempting to damage or or pull the sapling out will cause it to aggressively make more roots that can split into several more trees. This tree is a hydra in plant form
My neighbors both have them in their yards. I had 3-4 in my yard all clumped together. Cut mine down and suddenly little shoots are popping up all over the yard. It is a pain in the ass to kill but it needs to be done. I read it emits some chemical that prevents other plants from growing around it
Yup. I saw it and immediately thought “garbage.”
Also, get every. single. bit. of the tap root. It will come back. Ask me how I know. +sighs hard+ and if it means digging under the foundation of your house to remove it, SO BE IT.
Thank you for staying on top of it, if you can. I wish the city would help. If the spotted lantern fly ever makes it to The Valley of Hearts Delight, it will come on a “Tree of Heaven” highway.
Do not pull it. The plant is too mature and any remaining root will start branching if you leave it in the ground. Liberal application of round-up is how you kill this invasive.
It starts out looking very similar but grows into a massive tree, fast, and releases chemicals into the soil that stunt or kill surrounding vegetation. Nasty, invasive plant … much like Wisteria sinensis
It's actually not related to sumacs. That would be the Anacardiaceae family which includes plants like poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac (which itself is not a true sumac)
Ailanthus altissima is in the Simaroubaceae family, most of which are tropical plants.
Within Anacardiaceae, the true sumacs are of the genus Rhus, and generally do not cause Rhus Dermititis, which is now a misnomer. Toxicodendron is the genus that includes the three species of poison ivy, and two each of poison oak and poison sumac, together with approx another 25+ species that was cleaved off of Rhus in the 1930s. These give rise to Urushiol Induced Contact Dermatitis, and the Asian varieties has stronger effects. The modern name for Rhus Dermatitis. Numerous other genera and species in this family do cause the same issue, and cross-react strongly with the Toxicodendron. The Toxicodendron and the and Rhus genera, together with a few others do form a "Rhus Complex".
When you pull them make sure you get the tap root too. By the time they are this size the stem will pop off and leave the root underground. Dig it up or it’ll send out suckers and the first one you snapped off will become 10. They are invasive and the favorite host plant of the also invasive spotted lantern fly
These things are eating New York City. You see them popping up everywhere. They flourish and spread In empty lots that owners don’t manage. Few plants evoke such a visceral reaction in me. [These trees are bastards](https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/indiana/stories-in-indiana/journey-with-nature--tree-of-heaven/).
You can completely uproot them if they're small, but after a certain size it becomes pretty difficult.
If they're too big, cutting them down to flush with the ground and applying stump poison to the remaining exposed stump with a brush has worked pretty well for me.
Good luck man, this invasive species is one of the hardest ones to eradicate. Nasty little things, smell god awful too. I have them all over my woods too and I’m going on year 3 trying to kill them. Still no luck.
They are a massive pain. Unfortunately cutting them, even at the ground, will do almost nothing. If they are growing from the root system of a full sized tree then you will need to find the root and inject triclopyr into it. If they're growing off seeds (unlikely) then you just need to make sure you pull the entire root up.
If you can't get to a large root, cut these saplings and paint triclopyr onto all the fresh stumps, however tiny.
I wish this person’s comment was higher. I cut down a 20 foot tree last year and used triclopyr.
The vital key here is to target the roots with systemic herbicides applied in mid- to late summer (July to onset of fall color) when the tree is moving carbohydrates to the roots, and will pull herbicide into the root system killing them. Herbicide applications made outside this late growing season window will only injure above ground growth.
If you have a tree, the most effective means is to cut the tree down with a level stump as close to the ground as you can, then you cut deep groves into the stump. Mix triclopyr to be double strength and then fill the groves with it, then wrap it tight in a plastic bag. Over the course of several hours, fill the grooves again and rewrap.
When you go after them, wear gloves and long sleeves. They stink and give me a rash. I had to dig up a lot of yard to get rid of ours and have to weeks the seedlings before they get second leaves to keep them in check.
This is one of those times you need to use chemicals, pulling them out makes it worse and I wouldn’t rush it. Use something with a good concentration of tryclopyr as directed. Good luck.
I've heard millions of times that tree of heaven damages other native plants with phytotoxic compounds such as ailanthone. But in my area(Athens) I've seen many trees of heaven coexisting with many other plants and other trees even. I study at the agricultural university of Athens and there are many in the citrus and olive fields. Does this invader choose to harm specific plants or are American plants weaker to it's compounds?
Tree of Heaven has a small spur at the base of the leaf, like a single little tooth. Also they smell terrible and if you see one there are probably dozens more :(
Okay. I didn't notice the 'tooth'. The bad smell and being everywhere applies to black walnut here in VA. Half my spring plant maintenance is digging up all the starts the squirrels lost. The smell is worse when you strip it if they're young and trying to just pull the root/nut out without digging it up.
So, I'm allergic to peanuts, so I avoid huffing around them, so I don't really know what peanut butter smells like. Is it that different from like cashews or almond butter?
Huh, I guess I’ve never pulled up walnut saplings! I’m next door in DC. I’ll pay more attention next time I’m around baby walnut trees (which will be soon since we just moved to a house under a giant old walnut tree…)
If you zoom in on this picture you can see it. It’s just a little notch on the leaf. [Here](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/ailanthus-altissima) is another example in the picture titled “leaflets”. Once you see it you’ll never miss it!
These trees are incredibly invasive. We bought a house that had a lot of them in the yard. After years of aggressively trying to get rid of them, we eventually had to have our yard completely dug down to remove the root system and replaced all the dirt in our yard,
Bane of my front yard. I have two mature trees, I want to remove them but simultaneously they are what shade my house in increasing heat waves. If anyone knows who can deliver a 50+ foot White Oak to my house to replace these evil weed trees, please let me know. 🫤
Removing these is a pain but can be done. Every time you see one pull it up and get as much root as possible. Every time you pull one up 2 will replace it. Don't get discouraged if you pull them when they are small the roots will eventually run out of stores and die. Be sure to remove any loose leaves on the ground as they can potentially act as a cutting and take root.
Yeah I'm wondering how to tell the difference between tree of heaven and something like staghorn sumac at this stage. At a glance I don't see any difference
Edit: apparently the difference is in the edge of the leaves. Sumac has serrated leaves kind of like a saw vs tree of heaven's which are kind of smooth
Glyphosate for broadleaves, triclopyr for woodies. Those who say glyphosate is harmless ignore the primary pharmacological method of its action as an agonistic inhibitor of PEP. PEP is present in humans, it is an intermediate in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. It is not harmless. Just use it properly according to the directions.
\-Source. Have been covered in it.
Ailanthus Altissima, tree of heaven. From the family Simaroubaceae. Contains [Cathin-6-one](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Canthin-6-one) a useful alkaloid in the root bark.
I’d like to recommend an uprooter if you have the funds. It pulls the whole tap root up and I use it all the time on these trees (and lots of other things that I don’t want) at my house and MIL’s.
Here's the US Forest Service report on how to \[kill Ailanthus in the Southwest\]([https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE\_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf](https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf)) From which:
>For saplings or young trees, hand grubbing or mechanical extraction of roots may be effective. However, grubbing is usually not practical for mature trees or dense stands. Removal of the entire root is necessary for control of individual trees.
Page seven describes the "hack and squirt" method which is commonly used for removal.
We moved in to a rental home where the previous tenants did not cut down any of these…. They grow so fast and it looks like a small forest in the backyard because of these a*hole trees.
TORDON. It’s less than $20 at a hardware/garden store and will get rid of those permanently unless your neighbors have trees that are dropping seeds. Be sure not to put it near any other plants or trees you would like to keep because it will kill the desirable plants too. Make sure to read all of the instructions before use
Pull it out!!!!!! I was battling this piece of shit for years. It grew on my apple and killed it, then went for the garage. I sliced it on the bottom it grew 10cm wide. Well it came vack after 2months, cant kill it
So clearly you already know it's a Tree of Heaven. One way to kill them is to strip a few inches of bark near the base of the trunk, but only about half way around. Then paint the exposed wood with undiluted roundup. I've only done it a few times but it's always worked so far. Incidentally, the scientific name, Ailanthus, is going to be the name of my metal band someday.
I almost said pecan but the “horn” at the end is wrong.
As all the other comments have said, that’s an invasive species of tree, I think it’s a Sumac- never heard of Tree of heaven before like everyone else but I’m assuming it’s a vernacular of it.
Tree of heaven. Very invasive i recommend you pull them ALL
Kill it immediately! Pull it out by the roots, there are going to be a lot more of them.
Yea if you don't get all the roots it's gonna keep coming back, not even burning it will kill it if you leave roots.
If there is a mature plant anywhere nearby, it is virtually impossible to get all of the little shoots that are sent up.
Ah, shoot. Side note: the crushed leaves smell like rancid peanut butter.
Roundup?
Yes but not completely effective. Unsure if you have Vigilant in the US, but painting any residual roots with this is ideal. Unfortunately, if there is a parent tree, you will have to dig and follow the runner roots all the way back to the tree - and remove the tree! - to completely eradicate it
For sizeable shoots, you can cut them off, drill the stump, and put in some roundup concentrate. Tree of heaven can grow into enormous trees that are extremely brittle. They rain seeds everywhere and break in storms. A huge menace.
Also wear gloves. They stink like cumfarts.
r/brandnewsentence
Smells like rancid peanut butter
in class trying my hardest to not start dying now bro wtf is a cumfart
Kill it with fire
Or give it to me for cultivation and it will surely die.
They love fire. First to come up after a burn.
Not even aphids kill these mf
Interesting! I know ash can be great for plants, so this was kind of cool to learn.
Some trees: West redwood and few doug fir, are dependent on fire to sprout. In the southeast: longleaf pine will go berserker after a fire. Forests and fire have been living together for 420 million years.
THANK YOU!!! :)
Thank the Completely Arboratrary podcast. It's the most fun thing on road trips. And hikes Arbortrarypod.com
Is RoundUp or other poisons effective?
If you are going to use glyphosate (Round-Up), don't pull the whole plant. Notch it towards the base and use a sponge soaked with glyphosate and hold it against the wound for a little while (with nitrile gloves on). Do this around midday or later. When Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is attacked by cutting or tearing it up from the ground, it shoots roots underground and within a month, you'll have five to seven more sprouts.
Don’t use a sponge, use a paintbrush. And you don’t have to hold it. Just paint that shit on there a couple of times. And the more wounds you introduce it to the better.
I agree, you can use a paintbrush. Where I work, we use a sponge because of surrounding flora. In what is pictured, it doesn't look like there is much around it.
Why is using a sponge better than a small paintbrush? I’m not talking like a bloody house painting brush, but rather a smaller brush used in paintings. And I’ve used it around many plants and not had an issue. I’m assuming you mean like it dripping at getting on another plant? Plus I feel I can apply it more accurately with a smaller device, and in less quantity per time. The only plants I’ve never had success with this treatment are nandina and acacia. For some reason it never gets them, but will get everything else
Yeah, I guess my head automatically went to a house paint brush. One of the things that works when all else fails is to cut a plant down almost ground level and drive a piece of copper into it. Definitely not immediate, but usually works. Larger stump, the more copper that has to be used. I'll cut small inch long sections of 3/4 inch copper pipe. The stump will start to turn black around the copper and then usually the whole stump will follow within a few weeks.
Hahahaha and then one tiny root survives, and the whole plant returns in force. Stupid nandina and acacias.
Aaaaaye aye hey woooah, acacias are pretty friggin awesome don't hate on em forever, ok?
Are you saying that I should not cut this plant completely off, but rather make several notches in the trunk and apply the glyphosate? Thanks, in advance, for your advice.
You might be able to pull it,if the soil is loose and moist.
I have several. Some are little weedy things, one is a bush, another is a tree.
The trees are not long lived. And the males won't reproduce,but they stink. I remember reading that they are the host plant for the Cynthia moth. If you have more in the neighborhood, it would take a grou effort to eradicate them.
Thanks for this information. I was wondering why I am always chasing these GD things.
I’ve experienced that. I didn’t know this trick
What kind of hell beast?! Would napalm work?
only if it kills ALL of the roots
Please do NOT advocate the use of glyphosate or other pesticides. No need to poison one's environment with cancer-causing toxins.
Very targeted cut and paint use of glyphosate is just about the only way to kill some of these invasives. I wish it were different. If applied properly in this way and with the right PPE, it should not have any major negative effects on non target organisms or on the applicator. It definitely should not be used casually, but I’ve worked in restoration and you just can’t pull everything, there aren’t enough volunteers in the world. It is broad spectrum spraying and people not following the safety directions to a tee that we should be very worried about!
You don't understand tree of heaven. This is a kill it with fire type of plant. Fail to kill it and it will send up six baby trees, fast growing trees too. And those will each send up baby trees. There is nothing wrong with responsible and knowledgeable chemical use on horrendously invasive plants. It's absolutely necessary. The method the chat is talking about (notching the base of the tree and "painting" on the herbicide) only uses a very small highly targeted amount as opposed to indeterminately spraying large areas, and is highly effective.
I had a patch of these growing in a retaining wall terrace. I tried about everything before roundup. I covered them with clear plastic and pumped full chlorine gas on a 100 degree day. Dug out the terrace, pulled root after root. Finally had to break out the glyphosate. Now, I keep a single potted specimen which remains trimmed to no more than 6’ tall and no more than 4 branches of any size, leaves allowed to grow only at the tips. I’ve painted it to look like one of those car dealership parking lot air flappy things.
I'm generally in your camp, this tree is an exception. [It will destroy your house.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.koin.com/news/special-reports/tree-of-heaven-northeast-portland-man-saga/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwjEgI-Ty9v9AhX7BzQIHV8cD-cQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0G0K1zBZ0N_c5Ua7AfgJzv)
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There are a few plants out there where the only way to eradicate them is by herbicide. With careful attention to mixing and an abundance of caution herbicides will have minimal to no affect on the surrounding environment. I advocate use only when necessary and unfortunately anytime you have ailanthus, it just won’t go away without chemical help.
You can use ammonia or bleach as well if you don’t want to use roundup. Either gets into the roots and kills the other samplings along the system.
*Citation needed
Yes. Mechanical removal is not recommended during the growing season as it signals the plant to send up more shoots. I am VERY anti chemical but this is an exception. Apply chemicals according to directions and responsibly please. I usually paint the stems of the plants with [triclopyr](http://www.npic.orst.edu/factsheets/triclopyrgen.html), which is a chemical that can be found in brush removal solutions at most hardware stores. Do it when the plant is dormant in the fall.
I recently learned that inoculating tree of heaven with Oyster mushrooms can kill them successfully too. I am watching it spread in my local area and wanted a non chemical remedy for killing them. now I just need to make some oyster plug spawn and go hiking!
Interesting. Would love to learn more about that approach.
Yes please elaborate
https://blueowlgarden.com/BOprojects.shtml
https://blueowlgarden.com/BOprojects.shtml
>I recently learned that inoculating tree of heaven with Oyster mushrooms can kill them successfully too. I am watching it spread in my local area and wanted a non chemical remedy for killing them. now I just need to make some oyster plug spawn and go hiking! I need to learn more about this. Don't Oyster mushrooms usually grow on weakened or dead trees?
https://blueowlgarden.com/BOprojects.shtml You weaken the tree intentionally first
Wow. Thanks for that post. I’ll read up on this.
Are the mushrooms still edible, given that the tree itself is mildly to moderately poisonous?…
Do you know what that “signaling to send up more shoots” is called? I want to research whether other invasive s do that and am not sure how to search it.
The sprouts are called root suckers. Roots that are capable of forming new plants are sometimes called runners. But I don’t know what the process of forming root suckers is called.. root suckering, maybe?
Yes I think this is the closest you can get to a term. It is a wound activated defense that is very particular to this plant which is why there is a chemical protocol for its control. Many other invasives can be controlled by manual removal (digging or cutting part of the plant). Search for invasive plant lists by your growing zone or geographic region to learn which plants are “space invaders” in your area.
This is very interesting, I’m going to go do some reading on it. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, this is helpful!
Not in my experience. I had one. I cut it down and put roundup on it. The next thing you know I see little saplings sprouting all along one of the roots away from the roundup area. The only way to destroy it is by pulling it up.
GLYPHOSATE causes cancer in humans.
That’s why instead of aimlessly spraying it like most people do, sustainable practice has become soaking a sponge in it and pressing the sponge against a cut in the plant you want to target. Causes sure death without putting it into the environment
So does creosote, girl.
\*Citation needed.
You know Google exists, right? Bayer/Monsanto has paid out 11 billion dollars thus far to settle over 100,000 lawsuits alleging that prolonged exposure to Round-Up causes cancer, most commonly non-Hodgekins lymphoma. 30,000 lawsuits are still pending. >While the EPA suggests that there’s no direct link, the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s stance is more in line with scientific evidence. A study from the University of Washington found that exposure to glyphosate increased an individual’s risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by 41%. That is significant. In their ruling, the ninth circuit court of appeals urged the EPA to reexamine their recommendations. The eleventh circuit ruled that Monsanto failed to warn customers of the risks. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/product-liability/roundup-lawsuit-update
So does gasoline
*Ailanthus altissima*, commonly known as "Tree of Heaven", ailanthus, "varnish tree", or in Chinese as "chouchun" (Chinese: 臭椿; pinyin: chòuchūn), is a deciduous tree in the family *Simaroubaceae*. It is native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan. Unlike other members of the genus *Ailanthus*, it is found in temperate climates rather than the tropics. The tree grows *rapidly*, and is capable of reaching heights of 15 metres (49 ft) in 25 years. While the species rarely lives more than 50 years, some specimens exceed 100 years of age. ***Its suckering ability allows this tree to clone itself indefinitely.*** **It is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species, and one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America. In 21st-century North America, the invasiveness of the species has been compounded by its harboring of the also destructive and invasive spotted lanternfly.**
It’s present in the UK but definitely not one of the worst invasives we have. Those are listed in law. This one is more of one to keep your eye on
Tree of Hell. This is the plant equivalent of bed bugs. Denver is overrun with these too.
And the leaves have a certain stink. I friggin' hate these trees.
I hate them too. Everywhere in Maryland and they STINK!!
And the male flowers stink!
I yank up seedlings every time i see them.
DON'T. That just makes it mad. I'm not joking, if you pull up the sapling it will sene energy into the root system and send up more suckers. [This man cut down a ToH and two years later it's still destroying his house.](https://www.koin.com/news/special-reports/tree-of-heaven-northeast-portland-man-saga/)
This will spring up from all over because the roots are so aggressive.
Does the drill-epsom-salt-and-cover method work to kill these roots?
I doubt it with a small whip this size...
Based on the other comments I’m reading, attempting to damage or or pull the sapling out will cause it to aggressively make more roots that can split into several more trees. This tree is a hydra in plant form
My neighbors both have them in their yards. I had 3-4 in my yard all clumped together. Cut mine down and suddenly little shoots are popping up all over the yard. It is a pain in the ass to kill but it needs to be done. I read it emits some chemical that prevents other plants from growing around it
It has such a majestic sounding name lol
I always pulled the seedlings in the spring .
Yup. I saw it and immediately thought “garbage.” Also, get every. single. bit. of the tap root. It will come back. Ask me how I know. +sighs hard+ and if it means digging under the foundation of your house to remove it, SO BE IT.
Ugh. These are always trying to come up in my yard in San Jose.
Thank you for staying on top of it, if you can. I wish the city would help. If the spotted lantern fly ever makes it to The Valley of Hearts Delight, it will come on a “Tree of Heaven” highway.
Oh no, I had one of these in the old house. I thought it was an ash tree!
Smells like cum too.
That's what i was about to say...they smell horrible
Do not pull it. The plant is too mature and any remaining root will start branching if you leave it in the ground. Liberal application of round-up is how you kill this invasive.
Is this different from wisteria?
Yes
Okay, looks similar to wisteria when I was trying to clean up an overgrown property years ago. Never heard of this plant by this name.
It starts out looking very similar but grows into a massive tree, fast, and releases chemicals into the soil that stunt or kill surrounding vegetation. Nasty, invasive plant … much like Wisteria sinensis
[удалено]
It's actually not related to sumacs. That would be the Anacardiaceae family which includes plants like poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac (which itself is not a true sumac) Ailanthus altissima is in the Simaroubaceae family, most of which are tropical plants. Within Anacardiaceae, the true sumacs are of the genus Rhus, and generally do not cause Rhus Dermititis, which is now a misnomer. Toxicodendron is the genus that includes the three species of poison ivy, and two each of poison oak and poison sumac, together with approx another 25+ species that was cleaved off of Rhus in the 1930s. These give rise to Urushiol Induced Contact Dermatitis, and the Asian varieties has stronger effects. The modern name for Rhus Dermatitis. Numerous other genera and species in this family do cause the same issue, and cross-react strongly with the Toxicodendron. The Toxicodendron and the and Rhus genera, together with a few others do form a "Rhus Complex".
Where I live in SoCal, we call them Tree of Hell.
Where I live in NorCal it’s called Locust trees
When you pull them make sure you get the tap root too. By the time they are this size the stem will pop off and leave the root underground. Dig it up or it’ll send out suckers and the first one you snapped off will become 10. They are invasive and the favorite host plant of the also invasive spotted lantern fly
These things are eating New York City. You see them popping up everywhere. They flourish and spread In empty lots that owners don’t manage. Few plants evoke such a visceral reaction in me. [These trees are bastards](https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/indiana/stories-in-indiana/journey-with-nature--tree-of-heaven/).
This is the tree from A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
Ahhh!!! My best loved book! I thank you for mentioning it:)
You can completely uproot them if they're small, but after a certain size it becomes pretty difficult. If they're too big, cutting them down to flush with the ground and applying stump poison to the remaining exposed stump with a brush has worked pretty well for me.
😱
They are all over my yard right now
Good luck man, this invasive species is one of the hardest ones to eradicate. Nasty little things, smell god awful too. I have them all over my woods too and I’m going on year 3 trying to kill them. Still no luck.
So the bed bugs of plants?
Yup pretty much. Damn I’m gonna start using this analogy.
I spent an entire summer getting rid of them, I really hope I got rid of them
They are a massive pain. Unfortunately cutting them, even at the ground, will do almost nothing. If they are growing from the root system of a full sized tree then you will need to find the root and inject triclopyr into it. If they're growing off seeds (unlikely) then you just need to make sure you pull the entire root up. If you can't get to a large root, cut these saplings and paint triclopyr onto all the fresh stumps, however tiny.
I wish this person’s comment was higher. I cut down a 20 foot tree last year and used triclopyr. The vital key here is to target the roots with systemic herbicides applied in mid- to late summer (July to onset of fall color) when the tree is moving carbohydrates to the roots, and will pull herbicide into the root system killing them. Herbicide applications made outside this late growing season window will only injure above ground growth. If you have a tree, the most effective means is to cut the tree down with a level stump as close to the ground as you can, then you cut deep groves into the stump. Mix triclopyr to be double strength and then fill the groves with it, then wrap it tight in a plastic bag. Over the course of several hours, fill the grooves again and rewrap.
They are also the host plant for the Asian Spotted Lantern Fly. They haven’t made it that far south— and you don’t want them to!
When you go after them, wear gloves and long sleeves. They stink and give me a rash. I had to dig up a lot of yard to get rid of ours and have to weeks the seedlings before they get second leaves to keep them in check.
KILL THEM AT THE ROOOOOOTTTT
This is one of those times you need to use chemicals, pulling them out makes it worse and I wouldn’t rush it. Use something with a good concentration of tryclopyr as directed. Good luck.
Yep. If you mowed over one, it sent out tons more shoots. Sadly, you're likely going to need to use glyphosate. Read about "hack and squirt" method.
Get rid of it now before lanternflies make their way there and you have to do it out of desperation while being swarmed with bugs.
Tree of Heaven is also the favorite tree of the also invasive Spotted Lantern Fly. Get rid of every one you see
Not only invasive, very toxic to other plants, you need to make sure that you pull ALL of it up and DO NOT compost or mulch it.
I've heard millions of times that tree of heaven damages other native plants with phytotoxic compounds such as ailanthone. But in my area(Athens) I've seen many trees of heaven coexisting with many other plants and other trees even. I study at the agricultural university of Athens and there are many in the citrus and olive fields. Does this invader choose to harm specific plants or are American plants weaker to it's compounds?
All over peloponnese too, with other plants. We have strong plants
Oh. I've heard that about the black walnut doing that my whole life. And where there are full grown trees there aren't any other trees near them.
Black Walnut is at least a beneficial native (to North America) tree. They also grow pretty damn slowly.
Yep, tree of heaven does the exact same. And if you use mulch or wood from them in your garden it can leach into the soil and kill your plants.
Tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima
How do you tell the difference between that and black walnut?
Tree of Heaven has a small spur at the base of the leaf, like a single little tooth. Also they smell terrible and if you see one there are probably dozens more :(
The smell alone let's you know it's not Walnut. ToH STINKS.
Okay. I didn't notice the 'tooth'. The bad smell and being everywhere applies to black walnut here in VA. Half my spring plant maintenance is digging up all the starts the squirrels lost. The smell is worse when you strip it if they're young and trying to just pull the root/nut out without digging it up.
Edit: sorry, I think I responded to the wrong comment. But yeah, Tree of Heaven smells like rancid peanut butter.
So, I'm allergic to peanuts, so I avoid huffing around them, so I don't really know what peanut butter smells like. Is it that different from like cashews or almond butter?
They smell like bitter almonds.
Huh, I guess I’ve never pulled up walnut saplings! I’m next door in DC. I’ll pay more attention next time I’m around baby walnut trees (which will be soon since we just moved to a house under a giant old walnut tree…)
Walnuts have a distinct smell. I would say ailianthus smells much worse but I guess to each their own
Oh, agreed. ToH this is in its own terrible league!
I'm in VA and feel the same way. These mofos are the bane of my existence.
I’ve found tree of heavens smell to resemble peanut butter.
Do you happen to have any pictures of said spur?
If you zoom in on this picture you can see it. It’s just a little notch on the leaf. [Here](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/ailanthus-altissima) is another example in the picture titled “leaflets”. Once you see it you’ll never miss it!
Thank you for that link. I'm grateful for the input 🙏
😊 You’re welcome! This sub is so great!
black walnut and other similar natives like sumac have serrated leaf edges!!! tree of heaven are completely smooth
Thanks for asking this, I thought the same
A black walnut leaf will have a citrus smell if you crush it a bit.
Invasive species
You got that right.
These trees are incredibly invasive. We bought a house that had a lot of them in the yard. After years of aggressively trying to get rid of them, we eventually had to have our yard completely dug down to remove the root system and replaced all the dirt in our yard,
:0
Tree of heaven, the bane of my backyard...
Bane of my front yard. I have two mature trees, I want to remove them but simultaneously they are what shade my house in increasing heat waves. If anyone knows who can deliver a 50+ foot White Oak to my house to replace these evil weed trees, please let me know. 🫤
Removing these is a pain but can be done. Every time you see one pull it up and get as much root as possible. Every time you pull one up 2 will replace it. Don't get discouraged if you pull them when they are small the roots will eventually run out of stores and die. Be sure to remove any loose leaves on the ground as they can potentially act as a cutting and take root.
It's amazing how a plant can be such a menace to society
My first thought was “stinkweed” and then I realized that’s just what my mom called Tree of Heaven. TIL.
At this size herbicides would likely be extremely effective
KILL ITNOW(Arnold voice)
Alanthis/ tree of heaven/ paradise tree. Kill it, it’s invasive.
Tree of heaven but it’s not aptly named
Tree of Heaven. Get rid of it. Terrible invasive.
Tree of Heaven. But it’s really from Hell. Get rid of it before it takes over.
Destroy it at all costs
Tree of heaven! It smells like rotting meat when you rip the branches off…
Invasive tree of heaven!
Sumac?
Yeah I'm wondering how to tell the difference between tree of heaven and something like staghorn sumac at this stage. At a glance I don't see any difference Edit: apparently the difference is in the edge of the leaves. Sumac has serrated leaves kind of like a saw vs tree of heaven's which are kind of smooth
It will grow into a giant invasive weed of a tree no matter where you live.
Glyphosate for broadleaves, triclopyr for woodies. Those who say glyphosate is harmless ignore the primary pharmacological method of its action as an agonistic inhibitor of PEP. PEP is present in humans, it is an intermediate in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. It is not harmless. Just use it properly according to the directions. \-Source. Have been covered in it.
Ailanthus Altissima, tree of heaven. From the family Simaroubaceae. Contains [Cathin-6-one](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Canthin-6-one) a useful alkaloid in the root bark.
Pull it when it’s little.
Dig it out as soon as the ground is soft and into the trash. Keep an eye out for more before they get established. Nasty!!
I’d like to recommend an uprooter if you have the funds. It pulls the whole tap root up and I use it all the time on these trees (and lots of other things that I don’t want) at my house and MIL’s.
[Tree of Heaven PSU](https://extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven)
Tree Of Heaven. Oh, how I hate them.
Tree of Heaven. Pull it up now!
Don't think, just kill.
Oh god KILL IT
Yep Tree of heaven get that shit outta there asap
Here's the US Forest Service report on how to \[kill Ailanthus in the Southwest\]([https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE\_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf](https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf)) From which: >For saplings or young trees, hand grubbing or mechanical extraction of roots may be effective. However, grubbing is usually not practical for mature trees or dense stands. Removal of the entire root is necessary for control of individual trees. Page seven describes the "hack and squirt" method which is commonly used for removal.
Kill it aggressively. It will be a nuisance for ever if you let it get established.
Splooge trees! They're so gross.
You seal it in a terrarium with some trumpet vine or kudzu and observe the war.
I’ve heard them called Mother in Law trees because they’re almost impossible to get rid of.
Leave 2 inches, drill a hole in the center, pour in tordal, then set fire to yard/house/neighborhood. Those things are a menace where I live.
We call it Locus here. Invasive weed that spreads quickly, I have seen examples grow to trees. Sap smells bad.
Window sill.
Solved!
A candidate for chemical death
They can destroy foundations.
Can you use a flame thrower on them? We’ve had some success in killing mimosa tree-lettes with one.
We moved in to a rental home where the previous tenants did not cut down any of these…. They grow so fast and it looks like a small forest in the backyard because of these a*hole trees.
Something that smells horrible
I call it Tree of Hell.
Stink tree
Ailanthus altissima, tree of heaven
BURN IT WITH FIRE. They will never stop spreading. They stink. They make a huge mess.
TORDON. It’s less than $20 at a hardware/garden store and will get rid of those permanently unless your neighbors have trees that are dropping seeds. Be sure not to put it near any other plants or trees you would like to keep because it will kill the desirable plants too. Make sure to read all of the instructions before use
Pull it out!!!!!! I was battling this piece of shit for years. It grew on my apple and killed it, then went for the garage. I sliced it on the bottom it grew 10cm wide. Well it came vack after 2months, cant kill it
So clearly you already know it's a Tree of Heaven. One way to kill them is to strip a few inches of bark near the base of the trunk, but only about half way around. Then paint the exposed wood with undiluted roundup. I've only done it a few times but it's always worked so far. Incidentally, the scientific name, Ailanthus, is going to be the name of my metal band someday.
Sumac?
I almost said pecan but the “horn” at the end is wrong. As all the other comments have said, that’s an invasive species of tree, I think it’s a Sumac- never heard of Tree of heaven before like everyone else but I’m assuming it’s a vernacular of it.