Ailanthus altissima arrived from China and has since made itself at home across thirty states and all of North Carolina, growing in abandoned lots, highway medians, and the cracks of pavement with equal indifference. It is a fast-growing deciduous tree reaching 40 to 60 feet, with large compound leaves that identify it clearly: each leaflet has a glandular, notched base, and the serrations cluster near the base of the leaf rather than along the full margin. In late spring and early summer, large clusters of yellow-green flowers appear above the canopy, followed by winged fruits that wind and water carry far and wide.

The ecological case against planting Ailanthus altissima is unambiguous — it forms dense thickets that displace native vegetation, spreads by both seed and root suckers, and serves as a known host for the invasive spotted lanternfly. The NC Invasive Plant Council lists it as invasive; removal is strongly encouraged. Seedlings are easiest pulled when young, identified by the distinctive leaf serrations near the base. Once a tree matures, eradication becomes a sustained effort that the plant often wins.