An Ode to the Ailanthus

An ailanthus in Chicago. Surviving. Image courtesy www.simplywoodrings.com

I've always been a fan of survivor trees. A tree growing on the edge of a cliff. A redwood in California's Muir Woods sprouting from dead and growing several hundred feet tall. And, of course, an ailanthus growing in some back alley in Chicago.

Ailanthus (Ailanthus altissima), AKA tree of heaven, ghetto palm, tree from hell, is a tree that simply survives. You can find it growing in places where other trees would have never had a chance.

Their aggressive sprouting and seeding nature allow them to sprout up in opportune places. Many of them have remained because they are in such places, such as alleys and abandoned properties that nobody has cared enough to remove them. Of course, this aggressive nature means it can be invasive and thus shouldn't be allowed to grow in places where it might take over natural habitats. But anyway...

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​Aside from being survivors, these trees provide actual benefits. It provides food for some silkworm moths. It's wood is useful for some types of cabinet work. It is believed by some to have medicinal properties.

Would I plant an ailanthus in my front yard? No. I might even remove it if it were in a spot that could be better occupied by another species. But in its place an ailanthus is a tree that adds to a property and the greater environment.

So if you have an ailanthus (or some other survivor tree such as a mulberry) on your property, just leave it be. Be thankful that it's adding something to your property that other, less tough tree species wouldn't be able to.
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What other underappreciated tree species are you a fan of?

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