Ailanthus Tree Came Down Due to Heavy Rains
Ailanthus altissima (commonly referred to as Tree of Heaven) is a sneaky tree. It is a fast-growing invasive plant that grows well in disturbed sites and poor soils. Ailanthus loves New York City. There are more than a few in the neighbor’s backyard beside my own building. Because of all the rainfall we’ve recently received, mature street trees and Ailanthus alike have become unstable due to restricted root systems.
Exposed Roots of Ailanthus altissima
Soaring as high as 40-60′ tall at maturity, Ailanthus can grow up to 5′ in a single year. This rapid growth forms weak wood which can break easily in storms. It seems that any tree or shrub that can find a way to survive in a city backyard should be loved, but this little piece of heaven can be dangerous. The above pictures were taken just this week. Hurricane Irene caused other Ailanthus trees to fall in Hell’s Kitchen as well. If you are unsure about a tree on or around your property, get a certified arborist to come and check it out. We recommend Arborpolitan for tree care in New York City.
Definitely a sneaky tree… we have Tree of heaven issues in London too:
http://thestreettree.com/2011/09/17/trees-of-heaven/ and http://thestreettree.com/2011/08/22/a-tree-grows-in-bermondsey/
Great to see someone else blogging about them!
[...] some more Tree of Heaven resources: When heaven came crashing down (a blog post about a ToH in New York) A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (a blog post about the ToH’s [...]
[...] tree growing anywhere near your home or personal property, you should consider removing it (see our post on these weak-limbed trees). Heavy snow and leaves didn't mix for this mature [...]
[...] tree growing anywhere near your home or personal property, you should consider removing it (see our post on these weak-limbed trees). Heavy snow and leaves didn’t mix for this mature [...]
[...] you are already a reader of Erbology, you know how this story (and storm) ended, as chronicled in When Heaven Came Crashing Down on September 7, 2011. Thankfully no one was hurt, and the property damage was minimal. The [...]
[...] hurricane Irene downed four mature trees at Hartley House last season, the courtyard was in desperate need of new plantings. Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design volunteered to provide a full design for the courtyard in an effort [...]