Tree of the day: Ailanthus altissima, Tree of heaven, Miller Wager close
Ailanthus altissima is a species of deciduous broadleaf flowering plants (in the Simaroubaceae family), native to China.
Ailanthus altissima is a species of deciduous broadleaf flowering plants (in the Simaroubaceae family), native to China. This is a fast-growing tree which has been introduced in many parts of the world, in some place considered invasive due to its aggressive spread and ability to outcompete native vegetation. It has large compound leaves, up to a metre in length. In summer it produces clusters of small yellow-green flowers, followed by winged seeds. The roots, leaves and bark are used in traditional Chinese medicine. All parts of the plant have a strong odour likened to peanuts or cashews. "Tree of heaven" is an English version of the Malay Ambonese ai lanit, from which the genus name Ailanthus was derived; the Malay name means "sky tree" and refers to a different species, Ailanthus integrifolia.
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This website is a virtual arboretum, created for interest, education and beauty. It exhibits some of the thousands of trees, of both native and exotic species, that grow in Whiteknights Park, the main campus of the University of Reading. Many of them have been planted since the university arrived in 1947, but some have been here since the 19th century or earlier, when Whiteknights was the gardens and parkland of large houses. More than a hundred of the trees are listed in The Tree Register, nine as British Isles champions (the largest or tallest of their species).
Please send any comments about this website to whiteknights-trees@reading.ac.uk.
The previous version of this website is here.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank: Rupert Taylor, Owen Johnson, Alastair Culham, Jonathan Mitchley, Marcus Wheeler, Benoît Vannière, Miguel Teixeira and Claire Hawkins for tree identifications; Brian Hunt and Trevor Smith for testing routes and contributing text; Dylan Parkes, Martin Watts, Emilija Rudzinskaite, Brian and Trevor for collaboration on the centenary project; Dan Hodson for useful code examples; Studio Lift for website style; Brian, Trevor and Nathanaël van Twillert for comments and suggestions on website user experience; Benoît, Marcus, Steve George, Brian, Trevor, the Friends of the University of Reading, and other friends for their encouragement during the development of the website; the University and its grounds staff for maintaining Whiteknights Park.