Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus, Copal Tree, Stinking Sumac, Swingle (Honey bee plants of Hawaii, United States)

Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus, Copal Tree, Stinking Sumac, Swingle

Ailanthus altissima

Summary ⁷

Naturalized, Kaua'i
Pollen: Minor
Nectar: Good

...from temperate China, grows like a weed in the continental United States...(Neal, M. C. (1965). In gardens of Hawaii)
June. Southwestern Ontario and British Columbia.

Cultivated as a shade tree. Introduced; a native of Asia. (Crompton, C. W., & Wojtas, W. A. (1993). Pollen grains of Canadian honey plants.)

This tree has escaped cultivation in most northeastern states and in CA. Smoky-amber honey with a greenish cast and bitter, unpleasant flavor. Tree-of-heaven spring up and grow luxuriantly in crowded city lots under the most favorable conditions. The staminate flowers and the leaves have an unpleasant odor. (Lovell, H. B. (1966). Honey Plants Manual)

Flowering time 10-2, China. Large, deciduous, ornamental tree that suckers freely. Declared invader, mainly of high-lying, cool, moist locations in the interior of S. Africa. Small flowers in large terminal sprays, female and male on different trees, the latter with a bad smell. Unpleasant-flavored in different overseas countries. Pollen yellowish-green. (Johannsmeier, M. F. (2016). Beeplants of South Africa: Sources of Nectar, Pollen, Honeydew and Propolis for Honeybees)

A fast-growing deciduous tree from eastern and central China, often planted in urban areas due to its tolerance of pollution and poor soils. It is becoming a serious problem in forests in some eastern states. Can be an agricultural pest with hundreds of seedlings springing up in newly planted fields; also spreads rapidly when forest canopies are opened up. Habitat: Disturbed soils, fence rows, fields, roadsides, woodland edges, forest openings, rocky areas; thrive in poor soils and tolerates pollution; not found in wetlands or shade. Bloom in late spring, male and female flowers on different plants; pollen of male plants has an offensive odor. Reproduction: By seed or shoot production. Control: Seedlings can be pulled when the soil is moist, but all root fragments must be removed. If infestations are small, it may be possible to kill this species by repeatedly and frequently cuttings all stems. (Czarapata, E. J. (2005). Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest)

Sources and Credits

(c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/services/media.php?env=botany&irn=10290386
(c) Amadej Trnkoczy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/atrnkoczy/11753578175/
(c) Shipher (士緯) Wu (吳), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4941302523_e599a41f18.jpg
(c) jscior28, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Peter A. Mansfeld, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ailanthus_altissima_pm02.jpg
(c) Wayne National Forest, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ailanthus_altissima_tree_(17506220920).jpg
(c) Megan W., some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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