1. Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (syn.: A. glandulosa Desf., Toxicodendron altissimum Mill.) (China) – A frequently cultivated ornamental tree, in private gardens and even more so in public parks and old estates. The history of the escape of Ailanthus altissima in Belgium is rather well documented. Its naturalisation apparently started in natural habitats in some thermophilous river valleys in Wallonia. It was first reported as being naturalised from sun-exposed rocky slopes in the valley of river Meuse near Huy in 1952 (old vineyard). Subsequently collected near Embourg in identical habitats in the valley of river Ourthe in 1973. From the 1980’s onwards increasingly escaping in urban habitats, in Wallonia (Liège, Mons,…) and even more so in Flanders. At first reported from the larger cities (Antwerpen, Brussel and Gent where Ailanthus altissima now has its densest concentrations; see Van Landuyt 2006) but soon also from smaller cities (Brugge, Kortrijk, Leuven, Mechelen, Roeselare,…). At present a locally common urban tree in various man-made habitats: urban wasteland (former demolition sites, former industrial sites), disused railway yards, old walls, along railway tracks and motorways, canal banks,… In Flanders mostly confined to urban (thermophilous) habitats. However, since the 1980’s also known from coastal woodland near De Panne (Calmeynbos), as an escape from a nearby residential area. It locally forms dense, almost monospecific stands on the verge of the original woodland. Thus, in Belgium Ailanthus altissima proliferates in natural habitats and is therefore considered as an invasive species. The number of suitable, uninvaded areas (especially in thermophilous river valleys and coastal dunes) is high and a further rapid expansion is very likely. Additional information on its invasion status in Belgium and elsewhere in western Europe is available at: http://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/32 and http://www.q-bank.eu/Plants/Factsheets/Ailanthus%20altissima%20NL.pdf.
 |
 |
References:
Adolphi K. (1995) Neophytische Kultur- und Anbaupflanzen als Kulturflüchtlinge des Rheinlandes. Nardus 2: 272 p.
Bąbelewski P. & Czekalski M. (2005) Distribution of tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, in Wrocław, lower Silesia, Poland. Acta Sci. Pol., Hort. Cult. 4(2): 45-57.
Gutte P., Klotz S., Lahr C. & Trefflich A. (1987) Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle: eine vergleichend pflanzengeographische Studie. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 22(3): 241-262.
Kowarik I. (1983) Zur Einbürgerung und zum pflanzengeographischen Verhalten des Götterbaumes (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) im französischen Mittelmeergebiet (Bas-Languedoc). Phytocoenologia 11(3): 389-405.
Kowarik I. & Böcker R. (1984) Zur Verbreitung, Vergesellschaftung und Einbürgerung des Götterbaumes (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) in Mitteleuropa. Tuexenia 4: 9-29.
Muller N. (1987) Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle und Buddleja davidii Franchet: zwei adventive Geholze in Augsburg. Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges. 58: 105-107.
Nestorović M. & Jovanović G. (2003) Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle – the weed of urban environment. Acta Agriculturae Serbica 8(16): 57-64.
Rabensteiner J., Neuhold P. & Berg C. (2017) Morphological differences between the seedlings and the suckers of Ailanthus altissima. Mitteilungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereines für Steiermark 147: 57–66. [available online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321728045_Morphological_differe...
Shah B. (1997) The checkered career of Ailanthus altissima. Arnoldia 57(3): 20-27.
Van Landuyt W. (2006) Ailanthus altissima. In: Van Landuyt W., Hoste I., Vanhecke L., Van den Bremt P., Vercruysse W. & De Beer D., Atlas van de flora van Vlaanderen en het Brussels gewest. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Nationale Plantentuin van België en Flo.Wer: 116.
Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.
Walker G.A., Robertson M.P., Gaertner M., Gallien L. & Richardson D.M. (2017) The potential range of Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) in South Africa: the roles of climate, land use and disturbance. Biol. Invasions DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1597-8.