Walnut Versus Ailanthus

It can be intimidating start thinking about forest ecosystems, especially if you haven’t become familiar with the species yet. In this post we will explore the differences between Walnut (Juglans nigra) and Ailanthus (Ailanthus altissima). For two plants to be so different, they can sure look a lot alike.

Can you tell the difference?

Ailanthus (also known as Tree-of-Heaven)

If you know about Ailanthus, you probably can’t stand to call it tree-of-heaven. There is not anything good about the tree when it grows here, so much of us end up referring to it by its genus: Ailanthus. Its an extremely quick growing tree that is a non-native invasive, originally from north-east and central China. It thrives in our central Appalachian temperate climate, growing fast and numerous. It outgrows almost every native plant here, and provides dismal benefits to our native wildlife. Not only does it crowd out other plants, but it puts out an allelopathic chemical (a chemical that inhibits other plant growth) that prevents many plants from growing near it.

Our native ecosystems are so complex science will likely never understand them fully, but we certainly know that every plant is connected in numerous ways to everything around it. Ecosystems work as webs, and having a plant that is not a member of that web reduces the health of the entire ecosystem. It doesn’t work with other plants, instead crowding them out and producing alleolopathic chemicals to reduce competition. Our native insects and birds are not used to the tree, and mammals don’t often utilize aspects of Ailanthus like they do native vegetation. These principals apply for most non-native invasive species, but Ailanthus brought with it a pest.

Spotted Lantern fly

Most people have become familiar with the spotted lantern fly in the past few years. This insect is attracted to the Ailtanthus tree, and having the trees on your property makes it very likely to attract the lantern flies to your property.