text: Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) | Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) – LSESC
  Getto Palm, Queen of Heaven, Stink Tree and Tree of Hell
  The tree was first brought from China to Europe in the 1740s and to the United States in 1784. It was one of the first trees brought west during a time when chinoiserie was dominating European arts, and was initially hailed as a beautiful garden specimen. However, enthusiasm soon waned after gardeners became familiar with its suckering habits and its foul smelling odor. Despite this, it was used extensively as a street tree during much of the 19th century. Outside of Europe and the United States, the plant has been spread to many other areas beyond its native range. In a number of these, it has become an invasive species due to its ability both to colonize disturbed areas quickly.
  The Tree of Heaven is a medium-sized tree that reaches heights between 56 and 90 ft with a diameter at breast height of about 40 in. The bark is smooth and light grey, often becoming somewhat rougher with light tan fissures as the tree ages. The twigs are stout, smooth to lightly pubescent, and reddish or chestnut in color.
  The leaves are large, odd- or even-pinnately compound, and arranged alternately on the stem. They range in size from 0.98 to 3.0 ft in length and contain 10–41 leaflets organized in pairs, with the largest leaves found on vigorous young sprouts. The rachis is light to reddish-green with a swollen base. The leaflets are ovate-lanceolate with entire margins, somewhat asymmetric and occasionally not directly opposite to each others. Each leaflet is 2.0 to 7.1 in long and 0.98 to 2.0 in wide. They have a long tapering end while the bases have two to four teeth, each containing one or more glands at the tip. The leaflets' upper sides are dark green in color with light green veins, while the undersides are a more whitish green. The petioles are 0.20 to 0.47 in long
  Tree of Heaven Flowers
  The flowers are small and appear in large panicles up to 20 in in length at the end of new shoots. The individual flowers are yellowish green to reddish in color, each with five petals and sepals. The sepals are cup-shaped, lobed and united while the petals are velvet (i.e. they meet at the edges without overlapping), white and hairy towards the inside.
  It is considered a noxious weed in Australia, the United States, New Zealand and several countries in southern and eastern Europe.
  Anecdotal evidence suggests that the plant may be mildly toxic. The noxious odors have been associated with nausea and headaches, as well as with contact dermatitis reported in both humans and sheep, who also developed weakness and paralysis. It contains a quinone irritant, as well as active quassinoids (ailanthone itself being one) which may account for these effects, but they have, however, proved difficult or impossible to reproduce in humans and goats. In one trial a tincture from the blossom and foliage caused nausea, vomiting and muscular relaxation.