From the Morristown Shade Tree Commission:
Ailanthus altissima, or Tree of Heaven, is an invasive, pervasive, problematic, non-
native tree.
Both the US and New Jersey Departments of Agriculture encourage its
eradication.
The Morristown Shade Tree Commission will work to remove this
plant from our parks and public spaces in 2021.
Tree of Heaven is a problem because it reproduces very quickly and aggressively. It produces a staggering number of seeds and spreads by its roots to create dense thickets that crowd out native plants.
Additionally, it secretes a chemical into the soil that is toxic to surrounding plants and changes soil biology. Its aggressive root system can cause damage to pavement, sewers and building foundations.
The reason to remove Tree of Heaven this year is that it is the favorite host of Spotted Lantern Fly (SLF), an invasive leaf hopper insect that is moving into our area.
Removing Tree of Heaven may help reduce the local impact of SLF. The fly is a threat to agriculture, grapes, hops and fruit crops in particular, and it lives in large groups that make outdoor life unpleasant in late summer.
SLF feeds on tree sap and excretes sticky honeydew that attracts other insects and grows mold.
Homeowners should NOT attempt to remove Tree of Heaven without consulting with a New Jersey tree expert. Exposure to plant parts and sap can be hazardous and if this plant is simply chopped down; it will re-sprout aggressively from its vast root system, making matters far worse.
The Morristown Shade Tree Commission will ensure proper, professional removal of Tree of Heaven on Town-owned property that is as effective and safe as possible.
For more information please see:
https://extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven
https://wiki.bugwood.org/Ailanthus_altissima/NJ
https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly
Or reach out to us.
There are so many of these damn trees, and another invasive, Asiatic bittersweet in our area. There are so many of these trees along the highways and roads, and they are spreading like wildfire. I always wondered why DOT and counties (or whoever is in charge of maintaining highways/ country routes and their surrounding), don’t cut ToH down when crews are working on the trees along the roads. Another group is the commercial “landscapers” – who only cut and blow. There’s a business campus near us that was built less than 10 yrs ago, originally with perfectly manicured lawns and trees, that’s being taken over by ToHs crawling out of ditches and the crews do absolutely nothing with them. You’d think the landscapers would know at least some of the most common invasive plants of our area, and alert the owners of the properties they service.
This is a really important article and mission. The Latin name of this highly invasive tree may be familiar to some – Ailanthus altissima.
Hi everyone. Cedar knolls, here. Live up the hill from the shoprite on Hanover ave. Saw my first lanternfly last June on one of the grapevines in my mother’s backyard. (She had a young tree of heaven on the side yard that she thought was native Sumac. We cut down to the roots, and we keep it at bay by just searching the yard for any shoots and killing them early) My sister lives in Pennsylvania and they have been dealing with this for about 2-3 years now. She told me that she finds these disgusting bugs everywhere now- in her house, swarms on her roof, and at her job in downtown Allentown on the sidewalks and on the sides of buildings. They have gotten so bad there. When I tried reporting the sighting, of course the updated hotline was busy and the voicemail box was full, so I don’t think the state is taking this seriously. The state quarantine did not work. By the end of last summer, I was dealing with killing dozens a day on the grapevines. Typically the grapes we grow make for a sweet juice but this year they tasted rancid.
If the tree of heaven is young and can easily be cut down and some of the root structure can be easily removed, I personally recommend getting rid of it before it gets too big (as long as you’re willing to manage the shoots) just make sure it’s not Sumac!
Ive been searching the yard, and last week I found a collection of egg masses on the underside of our magnolia tree.
Kevin, I think it would be really helpful to follow up this article with advice on how to remove egg masses (Im finding even more on the trees near the grapes) It will be a disaster this year for the orchards and farms in Morris Township if we don’t stop this early. I can only imagine how this will affect south street if people have disgusting alien-looking grasshoppers jumping into their face or their lunch. They say this is going to be similar to the devastating effects that the Gypsy moth had on our forests 50 years ago.
They say milkweed is poisonous to the SLF and I’m looking to plant a lot of it this year to see if that helps.
I wish people from my generation were as concerned about these disgusting pests as they are about expanding their clubs and bars on South Street.
Any questions regarding how the STC will handle this can be sent to shadetree@townofmorristown.org
The STC continues to create a healthy environment for our urban tree canopy and public green spaces. We love what we do because we love trees, the Earth and the Town of Morristown.
Lots of good information here. Let’s keep Morristown families protected from this very invasive species. As a former homeowner, I know my first instinct would have been to simply chop the tree down, not knowing how much worse the problem would become.