Biological flora of Central Europe: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle

doi:10.1016/j.ppees.2007.03.002

Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics

Volume 8, Issue 4, 27 July 2007, Pages 207-237

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2007.03.002 Get rights and content

Abstract

Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven), Simaroubaceae, is an early successional tree, native to China and North Vietnam, which has become invasive in Europe and on all other continents except Antarctica. It is most abundant in urban habitats and along transportation corridors, but can also invade natural habitats. This paper reviews the literature on the morphology, distribution, ecology, habitat requirements, population biology, genetics, physiology, impacts, management and uses of this species.

Section snippets

Taxonomy

According to Nooteboom (1962), Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle 1916 (Simaroubaceae) is one of five species within the genus Ailanthus Desf. (Mém. Phys. Math. Acad. Sci. Paris 1786, 265, tab 8 1788) nom. cons. Different from A. altissima, its congeners A. excelsa Roxb., A. integrifolia Lam. (incl. A. calycina Pierre), A. triphysa (Dennst.) Alston, A. fordii Nooteboom (in Fu and Hong (2001) affiliated to A. triphysa) show a subtropical range. Other authors differentiated more species within

Life cycle and biology

Ailanthus is a short-lived early successional tree that can attain a life span of >100 years. Old trees from Germany were reported by Lauche (1936; 130 years), von Schwerin (1933; 121 years), and Wilhelmi (1958; 113 years). By producing clonal offspring, the genetic individuals are nearly immortal. Sprouts from the first tree introduced in 1784 to America, for example, still exist today (Howard, 2004).

Biochemical data

The bark contains oleoresin, resin, some mucilage, ceryl alcohol, ailanthin, ‘quassiin’, calcium oxalate crystals, and isoquercetin (quercitin 3-glycoside), tannin, phlobaphene, ceryl palmitate, saponin, quassin and neoquassin. Leaves contain 12% tannin, quercetin, isoquercetin, and the alkaloid linuthine. Seeds contain quassiin (List and Horhammer, 1969–1979; Perry, 1980). Proteins called quassinoids have been intensively studied due to their pharmacological relevance and phytotoxic impacts.

Impacts

Detailed data-traced studies on the impacts of Ailanthus and an evaluation of the impacts as positive or negative are rare, although Ailanthus conspicuously colonizes a broad array of habitats, often with prolific populations. At present, most European populations of Ailanthus are confined to disturbed urban and rural habitats, above all along transportation corridors which often have a low conservation value. In cities, conflicts may arise due to the need for increased maintenance in urban

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to E.J. Jäger and an anonymous reviewer for comments on a previous version, to E. J. Jäger and E. Welk for providing Figures 4 and 5, to H. Abdelkrim, Z. Botta-Dukat, A. Brande, D. Benkert, L. Celesti-Grapow, M. Conedera, U. Deil, D. Ehlert, F. Essl, M. Fennane, H. Jäger, H. Lenzin, N. Klöhn, R. Marquard, W. Punz, H. Schäfer, B. Seitz, R. Weidner and W. Welss for providing other information, to K. Grandy and G. Yoganathan for supporting the experiments, to W. Roloff for producing

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Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle is considered one of the worst invasive alien plant species (IAPS) in Europe, able to cause several disturbances to ecosystems and economic issues. To date, the control methods applied are often ineffective, restricted or under assessment by the scientific community, as in the case of Verticillium dahliae (a promising biological control agent to counteract this species). Citizen science initiatives aim to involve the public in the research process to generate genuine outcomes and, in the case of invasive species, represent a valuable additional tool in their earlier detection, monitoring and management. Here, seventy-two citizens were recruited to recognize and record A. altissima across and outside Italy, as well as to collect leaf and seed samples to allow professional scientists to perform the molecular characterization of the Italian (and more) gene pool and, subsequently, test the susceptibility of these provenances to V. dahliae. The collected material matched the identification for the 97% of the cases, and included 129 accessions divided in four genetic groups (with a high percentage of variability, as typically observed for other IAPS subjected to frequent movements and the constant supply of new propagules). Verticillium dahliae inoculation of plants from different provenances selected for each genetic group, revealed a very high mortality (≥93%) independently to the origin area. These outcomes confirm the high susceptibility of A. altissima to the fungal pathogen, and lead to speculate that V. dahliae seems to have no limits in counteracting Ailanthus populations, at least at the Italian level.
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Biological flora of Central Europe: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle

Abstract

Section snippets

Taxonomy

Life cycle and biology

Biochemical data

Impacts

Acknowledgments

Int. Biodeter. Biodegr.

Phytochemistry

Biochem. Syst. Ecol.

Sci. Hortic.

Environ. Pollut.

Der Götterbaum als Faserholz

Centbl. Gesamte Forstwes.

Neophytische Kultur- und Anbaupflanzen als Kulturflüchtlinge des Rheinlandes

Nardus

Distribuzione e potenziale invasivo di Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle nel Ticino centrale

Boll. Soc. Ticin. Sci. Nat.

Caratteristiche anatomiche e auxometriche di Ailanthus altissima

Sherwood

Allergy to Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) pollen

Allergy

Die Pilze des Späth-Aboretums in Berlin-Baumschulenweg

Verh. Bot. Ver. Berlin Brandenburg

Leitfaden zur Pollenbestimmung für Mitteleuropa und angrenzende Gebiete

Analysis of airborne pollen fall in Balikesir, Turkey, 1996–1997

Ann. Agric. Environ. Med.

Influence of soil salt, at levels characteristic of some roadside environments, on the germination of certain tree seeds

Plant Soil

Myocarditis from the Chinese sumac tree

Ann. Intern. Med.

Der Götterbaum (Ailanthus altissima) in Berlin (West)

Berl. Naturschutzbl.

Homöopathische Mittel und ihre Wirkungen, Materia Medica und Repertorium

Andeutungen über die freiwillige Baum- und Strauchvegetation der Provinz Brandenburg

Germination et floraison des plantules chez l’Ailanthus glandulosa Desf. (Simarubacées)

Rev. Gen. Bot.

Morphologie, anatomie et développement des glandes foliaires chez l’Ailanthus glandulosa Desf. (Simarubacées)

Rev. Gen. Bot.

Production, dissémination et polyphormisme des semences d’Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Simarubacées

Rev. Gén. Bot.

Morphology, structure and ontogeny of Ailanthus grandulosa floral nectaries

Can. J. Bot.

Composition of the nectar and the role of extrafloral nectars in Ailanthus glandulosa

Can. J. Bot.

Effects of cutting back on the carbohydrate and lipid reserves in the tree of heaven (Ailanthus glandulosa Desf. Simaroubaceae)

Ann. Sci. Forestry

Tolerance and photosynthetic adaptability to light intensity in white pine, red pine, hemlock and ailanthus seedlings

For. Sci.

Lack of toxicity of Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven) for goats

Aust. Vet. J.

Invasive plants in Mediterranean type regions of the world

Aufforstungen in den ariden Gebieten der Sowjetunion. Bericht über russische Erfahrungen seit 1841. Mitt. Bundesforschungsanst

Forst- Holzwirtsch.

Removing the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima and restoring natural cover

J. Arboric.

Flora of the London Area

Analysis of spatial patterns and spatial association between the invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and the native black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Am. Midland Nat.

Analysis of interactions between the invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and the native black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Plant Ecol.

Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle (Simaroubaceae). Strategia riproduttiva e diffusione in Sardegna

Inf. Bot. Ital.

Absterben von Götterbäumen (Ailanthus altissima) in der Südsteiermark

Forstsch. Aktuell.

Atlante della flora di Roma (Atlas of Rome flora)

A comparison of the urban flora of different phytoclimatic regions in Italy

Global Ecol. Biogeogr.

The role of alien and native weeds in the deterioration of archaeological remains in Italy

Weed Technol.

The importance of alien and native species in the urban flora of Rome (Italy)

Korean medicinal plants inhibiting to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) fusion

Phytother. Res.

Seed dispersion and seedling spatial distribution of the tree of heaven in urban environments

Kor. J. Environ. Ecol.

Pedicellate extrafloral nectaries in Ailanthus glandulosa

Can. J. Bot.

Evolution de la composition lipidique des cataphylles chez l’Ailanthus glandulosa Desf. au cours de l’ouverture du bourgeon

Physiol. Veg.