The invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and the beneficial native sumacs (Rhus sp.) not only resemble each other, they are commonly found growing together in disturbed areas. It is important to be able to identify these species so the invasive tree of heaven can be dealt with without impacting the important to pollinators and wildlife native sumacs. Tree of heaven is easy to tell apart from the sumacs once you know what to look for and this video covers several ways that can be used at different times of the year depending on if leaves, fruit, or flowers are present.

Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for watching!
Anthony

Thanks, Anthony. The way you explain the differences makes it easy to grasp for ID.

I've always likes Sumac. The leaves turn so nicely in fall.

Sharon - Thanks! Sumac is a four season shrub.

Another great video.I use the red Sumac berries to make a "Lemonaid" type drink,,and also to dye traps with.

upstateNY - sumac is a very useful shrub. It does make a great trap dye, and the drink made from the fruits is pretty good too. It is covered in pollinators when in flower and provides good cover for birds and critters. Unfortunately everyone in my area tend to doze it out. A farm not far from me just dozed out all the fence rows and road sides. It was great looking habitat a week ago and now its a wildlife desert.

I helped a friend during covid shutdown doing tree removal. I cut out a patch of Tree of Heaven and got deathly sick almost immediately Was it coincidence? I dont know but I will not go near one anymore.. I was layed out for 2 1/2 days, dont know what else it could have been.

lumberjack391 - I have never heard of any toxic effects from it beyond some get contact dermatitis from the sap.

Im not sure if it was coincidence or not but it happened about halfway into cutting it up- it was fairly sizeable for a tree of heaven. May be an allergy on my behalf? I know I will never sink a saw into one again to find out thats how sick I was.

lumberjack391 - hard to say. I don't cut many down, just basal bark them with triclopyr 4 in a basal oil carrier. They tend to root sprout like mad if cut down - even if the stumps are treated right after the tree is felled. They can get big, I know of several that are well over 24" DBH. It smells terrible when it is cut fresh! That alone makes me not want to rip into one!

Papermills accept tree of heaven logs. But I still hate tree of heaven.

Run - it makes decent lumber and doesn't stink once its dried, but it is dang nasty smelling when it is wet.