Tree of Heaven vs Walnuts & Sumacs (How to Identify)

This invasive Tree of Heaven is everywhere! It is commonly confused with native Walnut and Sumac species including the Eastern Black Walnut and Staghorn and Smooth Sumac. In this video, I compare the leaves, barks and fruit from a Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) and Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), and let you all know what to look for when identifying these plants or telling them apart.
Ailanthus altissima is extremely invasive in the United States, and is native to China. It was originally brought to Philadelphia during the 18th century as a tropical looking street tree - but it quickly spread throughout the country. It is also the preferred tree for the Spotted Lanternfly, who has recently made its way to the states as well. Tree of Heaven also harms native plants because it secretes a chemical to inhibit growth of nearby plants.

[@AlexZorach]

I thought this was excellent, you cover a lot of the key ID characteristics. I find the lack of terminal leaflet on black walnut to be not 100% reliable. I live around a bunch of black walnut trees, and while it's very common for the leaves to lack a terminal leaflet, I sometimes see them, so it's not a totally foolproof characteristic. The closely-related butternut also is similar-ish to black walnut, and usually has terminal leaflets, so if you see a tree where a lot of them have that terminal leaflet, it's good to consider those too. I second Wolf Silicon's recommendation on the smell: not only can you use to to easily distinguish Ailanthus (I describe it as smelling like "rotting cashews", like it's a nutty smell but it gets overwhelming and unpleasant easily.) but you can also use it to distinguish black walnuts. The leaves are less aromatic that the hulls, but it's a very strong, distinctive aroma. I've heard it described as citrusy, but it's more like citrus peel or zest than like a fruity smell. It's a sort of spicy smell, and I find it pleasant.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

That's a great point - I learned shortly after making this video (unfortunately) that Eastern Black Walnut *can* have a terminal leaflet. If only I could edit this video without taking it down. Maybe I'll make a new, better one at some point. Smell is also a key identifier that I failed to mention. I will pin this comment and hopefully viewers can see this in addition to the video. Thanks!

[@amykinder1458]

Alex Zorach loooooooooooooooooooooooooooopoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggGggggggggggggggg try and find the letter m hidden it the word llllllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggg

[@MisBunnypics]

Fantastic video I've been trying to tell these plants apart for years!

[@hobarthelen2]

Thanks for this video. The differences between tree of heaven, stag horn sumac and black walnut are clearer now!

[@cappycramer]

Thank You!!!! Great video.

[@SwimBodyEVill]

This is super helpful! Thank you.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Glad it was helpful! :)

[@racif]

So helpful!

[@benjobello]

Thanks for this great video

[@rainafox]

That was a very helpful video! Thanks from NW Jersey 🙂

[@wolfkremen]

Also to note, it's enough to crush a single leaf of ailanthus to produce a smell of bad stir fry kitchen in the air and on one's hand.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Wolf Silicon that’s a great point!

[@TK-setophaga]

Thank you, now I know which one to cut down.

[@emilyking6937]

Thank you for this video! Very helpful, and explained well. Was worried my property was full of tree of heaven, turns out I don't believe we even have one! I'm in south central PA, and have also never seen a lantern fly. 🤞 I never do!

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

That's great to hear you don't have any Tree-of-Heavens :)

[@Lou_Mansfield]

Thanks, i have a large black walnut tree, and a sumac-looking thing growing up through my back deck. Not sure if that was invasive or what, but now i can try to identify it.

[@ninja1antelope]

Tree of heaven also has alternating leaflets. Versus opposite leaflets of the other 2.

[@raciovillagechannel4950]

Good.. 👍😎

[@anthony_galati]

Great video. Only thing is that I have seen it strongly recommended not to try to get rid of the tree unless it's very young. The one in this video is very young, but it should be emphasized not to cut them down when they are larger because the roots will go into overdrive and become a real problem. I'm still looking into how to effectively remove them..

[@svenshanah]

Cut all mine down. Later they exploded up all over the property. Another guy near me with same problem left his property vacant the last decade, and the growth looks to me to be about the same. Mine is a bit worse, then again it gets far more water than his property.🤷‍♂ Got 3 chainsaws and 2 pole chainsaws out..I'm about to tackle my little but quite literal forest around my home, before I lose my Home Insurance. I wish I was kidding.

[@anthony_galati_art]

@@svenshanah You have to chemically treat them to kill them once they're larger. It may or may not be worth cutting down part of the tree but not all, and then applying it, but you need the chemical. You can go to a hardware store and get some nasty things that do tghe job but I would look into which one is most effective for them. BTW if you get Roundup, wear a mask and do your best not to inhale any. Monsanto has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in several lawsuits that they've lost because it causes Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.

[@Breyerluvr4eva]

Hack and squirt. Look it up. You have to allow it to absorb the poison and kill it before you cut it down

[@billyhorton5779]

Inside the middle of the branches and twigs is a peanut butter type paste, kill this tree in the fall by drilling small 45 degree holes with a wood boring bit around the trunk. Pour tricylopir straight in, repeat weekly, it will start killing from within. Use round up on the leaves of small sucker trees during the heat of the day. Never use a weed wacker or lawn mower on small suckers, they will pop up elsewhere!

[@birdlindsay8324]

We had a tree of heaven in our yard removed, live in the Pacific Northwest… very invasive. The seeds keep sprouting…. And shoots keep coming. Got any tips to keep it away?

[@gristlevonraben]

How different is it from poison sumac?

[@lindarobinson195]

Thank you have black walnut but a problem with tree of haven. Question in China problem with desert growing. Would tree of heaven grow with lack of water. Yours truly Evans w Robinson

[@joseywales6168]

4:00 that little tree will be back

[@traceyrubeo5270]

Excellent video! Now know what look for in tree heaven. I do have 2 black walnut trees an find the flies on them. Just not in clusters.( think I be freaked out if did) these flies actually haunt me! I go out 2 xs day to look an KILL THEM. So I'm a little confused about walnut tree should these trees be taking down too? Had tons of baby's over summer all over yard. Thought were spiders an noticed mosquitoes were less so never killed them. Wish knew then what they were!!! I'm in South Jeresy.

[@emilyasnider]

Hi Andrew, are you able to show what flowers show up on a tree of heaven? Thanks for the video. We have a tree dropping hundreds of thousands of little white flowers.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Hi, Emily. Where are you located? Tree-of-Heaven blooms early in the summer, so they've stopped flowering for a while. If you post a few pictures of the tree somewhere, I can try to identify it for you! I know the Japanese Pagoda trees are just finishing flowering and they drop a lot of petals and flowers!

[@emilyasnider]

@@Andrew_the_Arborist Thanks for your quick reply! I'm in Philadelphia. Once it dries up from the rain I'll take a few photos. IS there a good place to send them to you?

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

@@emilyasnider Oh cool, I am as well! Yes, Tree-of-Heaven has stopped flowering in our area a while ago. Do you have iNaturalist to upload the photos? If it's easiest for you, you can email me the photos at [e-mail]

[@emilyasnider]

@@Andrew_the_Arborist Great! Thank you. I'll email you tomorrow. :)

[@tradesmith_yt]

I actually have a 3 ft x 7 ft slab of this stuff I’m turning into a table. Considering how large it is, must have come over in the 1800s

[@blessed7927]

And Tree of Heaven contains urushiol so how are you able to touch this without a rash?! Harvard article talks about this tree and myocarditis if sap gets into cuts

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Hmm, I've never heard of Ailanthus altissima having urushiol! I've dealt with its removal many times by hand but I haven't had any issues.

[@tallyrc]

For me, walnut is all about the smell

[@ThereIsNoLord]

You also want to remove that Japanese stilt grass.

[@Abaman21]

The tree of heaven was ported over by Treyarch

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Hahaha

[@carlynfry]

great video thank you!! that infestation is YUCK

[@justnt1891]

Can you still do the perfect 300 in wii?

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Yup I can! Lol

[@blakespower]

easiest way to tell with leaves just crush them in your hands and they stink