AILANTHUS
Ailanthus glandulosa
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The ailanthus, like the Kentucky coffee tree, is destitute of small spray among its branches, but it would never be confused with that tree on account of its smooth bark, which is a great contrast to the roughly ridged bark of the Kentucky coffee tree. Its stems are smooth and thick, and the large leaf-scars are much more prominent than the buds. Its large, pinnate leaves, often over four feet long, make the ailanthus decorative in summer, but its coarse stems in winter diminish its æsthetic value in landscape gardening. It grows very fast at first, its leading stems sometimes reaching over six feet in a single season; but after ten or twelve years this rate decreases and it advances with moderate growth.
In America it is planted only as an ornamental tree, but its wood is fine-grained, hard, and takes a good polish, and is well fitted for cabinet making.
The generic name was originally spelled ailantus, and came from ailanto (tree of heaven), the name of this tree in the Moluccas; its name was undoubtedly given to it on account of the rapidity of its growth and the great height it reaches in its native country. The specific name, glandulosa (glandulous), refers to the margins on the under side of the leaves.
The ailanthus originally came from China, but it has become naturalized here, and is planted very commonly in city streets, along country roads, and in parks and gardens. It was first brought to the United States by Mr. William Hamilton in 1784.
The family Araliaceæ, well known by its herb members, the ginseng and wild sarsaparilla, has one tree-like representative,—the aralia.
Angelica Tree; Hercules’ Club Aralia spinosa