Tree-of-heaven
General poisoning notes:
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is an ornamental found in the warmest parts of Canada. Exposure to the leaves may have caused dermatitis in humans and it is suspected of being a poisonous plant as well. However, convincing documentation of poisoning is lacking. The tree has been suspected of causing gastroenteritis. (Muenscher 1975, Mitchell and Rook 1979).
Description:
Trees, deciduous, up to 20 m tall; bark smooth and straightly grained. Branches with pith, yellow or yellow-brown pubescent when young, then glabrescent. Leaves odd-pinnate, 40-60 cm; petiole 7-13 cm; leaflets 13-27, opposite or nearly so; blades ovate-lanceolate, abaxially dark green, adaxially gray-green, smelly when rubbed. Panicles 10-30 cm. Flowers light green; pedicel 1-2.5 mm. Sepals 5, imbricate, 0.5-1 mm. Petals 5, 2-2.5 mm, base hispid. Stamens 10; filaments densely hispid basally, longer than petals in males, shorter than petals in females; anthers oblong, ca. 1 mm. Carpels 5; styles connate; stigmas 5-lobed. Samarium oblong, 3-4.5 × 1-1.2 cm. Seed in middle of wing, flat-globose. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Aug-Oct.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle
Vernacular name(s): tree-of-heaven
Scientific family name: Simaroubaceae
Vernacular family name: quassia
Geographic Information
Found in many habitats; 100-2500 m. All regions of China except Hainan, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Ningxia, Qinghai [widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere].
Toxic parts:
Flowers, leaves.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
Erythema.
