Ailanthus
Ailanthus (more correctly ailantus, from ailanto, an
Amboyna word probably meaning "Tree of the Gods," or "Tree
of Heaven"), a genus of trees belonging to the natural order
Simarubaceae. The best known species,
A. altissima,formerly known as
A. glandulosa, Chinese sumach or tree of heaven, is a handsome, quick-growing tree
with spreading branches and large compound leaves, resembling
those of the ash, and bearing numerous pairs of long pointed
leaflets. The small greenish flowers are borne on branched
panicles; and the male ones are characterized by having a
disgusting odour. The fruits are free in clusters, and each
is drawn out into a long wing with the seed in the middle.
The wood is fine grained and satiny. The tree, which is a
native of China and Japan, was introduced into
England in
1751 and is a favourite in parks and gardens. It has also been introduced into North America. A silk spinning
moth, the ailanthus moth (Bombyx or Philosamia cynthia),
lives on its leaves, and yields a silk more durable and
cheaper than mulberry silk, but inferior to it in fineness and
gloss. This moth is common near many towns in the eastern United
States; it is about 5 in. across, with angulated wings, and
in colour olive brown, with white markings. Other species of
ailanthus are:
A. imberbifiora and
A. punctata, important
Australian timber-trees; and
A. excelsa, common in India.
Initial text from 1911 encyclopedia -- Please update as needed