Despite its good qualities, this tree's invasive tendencies have earned it the label 'tree of hell'. Natural regeneration is currently limited by temperature across most of Britain and Ireland, but concerns about a warming climate have led to a ban on its cultivation and sale, even as large specimens continue to thrive in big European cities and warmer areas such as south-east England. Introduced 1751.

Native to China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Dioecious. Insect-pollinated. Wind- and water-dispersed, aided by its papery-winged samaras that twist as they fall; the seeds float in water. Readily suckers, creating dense clonal thickets. Trees have an allelopathic effect on neighbouring plants.

Medium-tall (28m), growing very rapidly. The 'muscular' trunk forms a straight, unbuttressed column. Bark dark grey, smooth, developing shallow sinuous pale fissures. Twigs stout and tapered, yellow-brown, downy or softly spiny when young; buds small, alternate, with heart-shaped leaf scars. Leaves very large (40-60cm), compound pinnate with 11-21 asymmetrically arranged glossy leaflets, emerging bronze then green, with glandular teeth near the short petiole base. Male trees bear cream, malodorous flower plumes in midsummer; female trees bear winged seeds ripening orange-red in sun. All parts smell unpleasantly pungent.

Cultivation is not recommended. Highly tolerant of urban pollution and poor soils. Grows back vigorously when cut.

No notable associations where introduced.

This species is a threat to native ecosystems.

Existing specimens are undeniably impressive ornamentals, with outsized tropical-looking foliage. In China, the Ailanthus Silkmoth (Samia cynthia) produces 'peace silk' feeding on this species, named because its fibres can be harvested without harming the larvae, unlike silk from White Mulberry feeders.