Ailanthus altissima , commonly known as tree of heaven, ailanthus, varnish tree, or in Chinese as chouchun (Chinese: 臭椿; pinyin: chòuchūn; lit.: 'foul smelling tree'), is a deciduous tree in the family Simaroubaceae. It is native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan. Unlike other members of the genus Ailanthus, it is found in temperate climates rather than the tropics.
The tree grows rapidly and is capable of reaching heights of 15 m (50 feet) in 25 years. While the species rarely lives more ...