page_title: Ailanthus altissima
section_title: Distribution and habitat
hierarchical_section_title: Ailanthus altissima / Distribution and habitat
caption_attribution_description: English: Ailanthus altissima growing as a weed in southern New South Wales, Australia.
context_page_description: Ailanthus altissima, commonly known as tree of heaven, ailanthus, varnish tree, or in Chinese as chouchun, is a deciduous tree in the family Simaroubaceae. It is native to both northeast and central China, as well as 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 m in 25 years. While the species rarely lives more than 50 years, some specimens exceed 100 years of age. Its suckering ability makes it possible for 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.
context_section_description: A. altissima is native to northern and central China, Taiwan and northern Korea. It was historically widely distributed, and the fossil record indicates clearly that it was present in North America as recently as the middle Miocene. In Taiwan it is present as var. takanai. In China it is native to every province except Gansu, Heilongjiang, Hainan, Jilin, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Tibet. It has been introduced in many regions across the world.
  The tree prefers moist and loamy soils, but is adaptable to a very wide range of soil conditions and pH values. It is drought-hardy, but not tolerant of flooding. It also does not tolerate deep shade. In China it is often found in limestone-rich areas. The tree of heaven is found within a wide range of climatic conditions. In its native range it is found at high altitudes in Taiwan as well as lower ones in mainland China. These are virtually found anywhere in the U.S., but especially in arid regions bordering the Great Plains, very wet regions in the southern Appalachians, cold areas of the lower Rocky Mountains and throughout much of the California Central Valley, forming dense thickets that displace native plants. Prolonged cold and snow cover cause dieback, although the trees resprout from the roots.
caption: Ailanthus altissima growing in Australia.
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