Ailanthus excelsa

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100 of the World's worst Invasive and Alien Species.




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Abelmoschus moschatus
Acacia aneura
Acacia angustissima
Acacia aulacocarpa
Acacia auriculiformis
Acacia catechu
Acacia cincinnata
Acacia crassicarpa
Acacia elatior
Acacia erioloba
Acacia etbaica
Acacia ferruginea
Acacia glauca
Acacia holosericea
Acacia karroo*
Acacia koa
Acacia laeta
Acacia lahai
Acacia leptocarpa
Acacia leucophloea
Acacia mangium
Acacia mearnsii*
Acacia melanoxylon
Acacia mellifera
Acacia nilotica subsp nilotica
Acacia pachycarpa
Acacia pennatula
Acacia polyacantha ssp. polyacantha
Acacia saligna
Acacia senegal
Acacia seyal
Acacia sieberiana
Acacia tortilis
Acacia xanthophloea
Acrocarpus fraxinifolius
Adansonia digitata
Adenanthera pavonina
Aegle marmelos
Afzelia africana
Afzelia quanzensis
Agathis macrophylla
Agathis philippinensis
Ailanthus altissima
Ailanthus excelsa
Ailanthus triphysa
Albizia adianthifolia
Albizia amara
Albizia anthelmintica
Albizia chinensis
Albizia coriaria
Albizia ferruginea
Albizia gummifera
Albizia julibrissin
Albizia lebbeck
Albizia odoratissima
Albizia procera
Albizia saman
Albizia versicolor
Albizia zygia
Aleurites moluccana
Allanblackia floribunda
Allanblackia stuhlmannii
Allanblackia ulugurensis
Alnus acuminata
Alnus cordata
Alnus japonica
Alnus nepalensis
Alnus rubra
Alphitonia zizyphoides
Alstonia boonei
Alstonia congensis
Alstonia scholaris
Altingia excelsa
Anacardium occidentale
Andira inermis
Annona cherimola
Annona muricata
Annona reticulata
Annona senegalensis
Annona squamosa
Anogeissus latifolia
Anthocephalus cadamba
Antiaris toxicaria
Antidesma bunius
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria cunninghamii
Arbutus unedo
Areca catechu
Arenga pinnata
Argania spinosa
Artemisia annua
Artocarpus altilis
Artocarpus camansi
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Artocarpus integer
Artocarpus lakoocha
Artocarpus mariannensis
Asimina triloba
Ateleia herbert-smithii
Aucomea klaineana
Averrhoa bilimbi
Averrhoa carambola
Azadirachta excelsa
Azadirachta indica
Azanza garckeana

Local names:
Arabic (ailanthus,neem hindi), English (ailanthus,coramandel ailanto,tree-of-heaven), Gujarati (aduso,ardusi,bhutrakho), Hindi (maharuk,ardu,ardusi,arua,horanim maruk,aduso,mahanim,mahrukh,maruf,pedu,Pee vepachettu,pir nim), Nepali (maharukh), Sanskrit (

Ailanthus excelsa is a large deciduous tree, 18-25 m tall;  trunk straight, 60-80 cm in diameter; bark light grey and smooth, becoming grey-brown and rough on large trees, aromatic, slightly bitter.

Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, large, 30-60 cm or more in length; leaflets 8-14 or more pairs, long stalked, ovate or broadly lance shaped from very unequal base, 6-10 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, often curved, long pointed, hairy gland; edges coarsely toothed and often lobed.

Flower clusters droop at leaf bases, shorter than leaves, much branched; flowers many, mostly male and female on different trees, short stalked, greenish-yellow; calyx 5 lobed; 5 narrow petals spreading 6 mm across; stamens 10; on other flowers, 2-5 separate pistils, each with elliptical ovary, 1 ovule, and slender style.

Fruit a 1-seeded samara, lance shaped, flat, pointed at ends, 5 cm long, 1 cm wide, copper red, strongly veined, twisted at the base

The generic name ‘Ailanthus’ comes from ‘ailanthos’ (tree of heaven), the Indonesian name for Ailanthus moluccana.

Ecology

A. excelsa grows well in semi-arid and semi-moist regions and has been found suitable for planting in dry areas with annual rainfall of about 400 mm. It is commonly found in mixed deciduous forests and some sal forests, but is rare in moist areas with high monsoons. Plant associations include Acacia catechu, A. leucophloea and Azadirachta indica. It is a relatively salt-tolerant  species.

Native range
India, Sri Lanka

Tree management

A. excelsa has a strong light requirements. The recommended spacing is 6x 6m  for Agroforestry and 3 x 3 m in block plantations.The seedlings are susceptible to frost and are easily suppressed by weeds as a result of shading. Prolonged drought also kills the seedlings,although the poles and trees are drought resistant. Waterlogging and poor drainage cause high seedling mortality. It coppices well and produces root suckers that should be thinned to reduce competition.

Seeds are usually picked before maturity since fully mature fruits are liable to lose most of their seeds through wind dispersal as soon as attempts are made to collect them. Seed storage behaviour is probably orthodox; viability is maintained for 1 year in open storage. There are about 9500 seeds/kg.

A. excelsa grows well in semi-arid and semi-moist regions and has been found suitable for planting in dry areas with annual rainfall of about 400 mm. It is commonly found in mixed deciduous forests and some sal forests, but is rare in moist areas with high monsoons. Plant associations include Acacia catechu, A. leucophloea and Azadirachta indica. It is a relatively salt-tolerant  species.

Natural reproduction occurs through seed and coppice. Seedling regeneration is generally scanty and cannot be relied upon to regenerate natural stands. Natural regeneration through coppice and root suckers is adequate so long as the trees harvested are healthy. Artificial regeneration is through direct seeding or planting pregerminated seed.

Sheep do not readily browse the plants because of the offensive smell in young leaves. Mature leaves are lopped  for their excellent sheep fodder.

Wood makes good firewood.

Timber:  The wood is easily worked but is perishable and subject to insect attack and stain. It is used in boxes, crates, poles, fishing floats, tool handles, matches and drums.

Shade or shelter:  A. excelsa is grown as a shade and avenue tree throughout most of the hotter parts of India.

Medicine:  Bark, gum and the bitter aromatic leaves are used medicinally in home remedies.

Gum or resin:  The bark yields a gum of inferior quality.

The trees serve as shelterbelts along borders of fields.