Tree of heaven can be difficult to identify. Staghorn sumac, black walnut, and hickory are all native trees that resemble tree of heaven. The leaflet edges of these native trees all have teeth while those of tree of heaven are smooth.
Specific characteristics of tree of heaven:
- Large tree that can reach 80 feet tall.
- Bark is smooth and brownish-green when young, eventually turning light brown to gray, resembling the skin of a cantaloupe.
- Leaves have a central stem in which leaflets are attached to each side - called pinnately compound. One leaf can be 1-4 feet long with 10-40 leaflets. Leaf edges are smooth.
- When crushed, leaves and all plant parts give a strong, offensive odor.
- Twigs have V- or heart-shaped leaf scars, and when the twigs are broken, the pith is spongy.
- Seeds are 1-2-inch-long wings, called samaras. Samaras are in clusters and persist through the winter.
Tree of heaven grows in a variety of conditions:
- Full and part sun
- Fertile and dry soil
- Riparian and disturbed areas
- Railways and forest openings
Tree of heaven colonizes quickly in disturbed areas and forest openings.
