Tree of Heaven

Why it’s harmful

Tree of Heaven is one of the most aggressive invasive trees in the Northeast. It grows astonishingly fast — up to several feet a year — and reproduces both by prolific wind-blown seeds (a single tree can produce hundreds of thousands) and by sending up dense “suckers” from its spreading roots.

• It releases a chemical (ailanthone) into the soil that suppresses the growth of nearby native plants — a strategy called allelopathy.
• It forms dense thickets that crowd out native trees and shrubs pollinators depend on.
• It is the preferred host of the spotted lanternfly, a destructive invasive insect that threatens fruit trees, grapes, and hardwoods.
• Its aggressive roots can damage sidewalks, foundations, and sewer lines.

How to ID it

• Leaves: very large compound leaves, 1–4 feet long, each with 11–41 leaflets arranged along a central stem.
• Leaflet detail: each leaflet is smooth-edged except for one or two small “teeth” near its base, each with a tiny bump (gland) underneath. This is the most reliable ID feature.
• Smell: crushed leaves and broken twigs give off a strong, unpleasant odor often compared to rancid peanut butter or cat urine.
• Bark: smooth and gray, sometimes likened to the skin of a cantaloupe.
• Seeds: female trees carry large drooping clusters of papery, twisted seeds (samaras) in late summer, often tinged red.

Look-alikes: Native sumac and black walnut have similar compound leaves, but their leaflets are toothed all the way around and they don’t have the foul smell.

📸 5 photos to help you recognize it in different settings and seasons.Click any photo to enlarge and browse.

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How to remove it

Tree of Heaven fights back hard, so method matters more than effort.

1. Seedlings: pull young plants by hand when the soil is moist, getting the whole root.
2. Don’t just cut it down. Cutting or mowing a established tree triggers an explosion of root suckers and stump sprouts — you’ll end up with many trees instead of one.
3. Established trees: the most effective approach combines herbicide with cutting — a “cut-stump,” “hack-and-squirt,” or basal-bark application of triclopyr or glyphosate, applied in mid-to-late summer when the plant is moving energy down to its roots.
4. Dispose carefully: bag and trash seeds and any female flower clusters so they can’t spread.
5. Be persistent: expect to monitor and re-treat over several seasons.

If you spot the spotted lanternfly on or near these trees, report it to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.