Ailanthus excelsa

General Description:

Ailanthus excelsa or the Indian Tree of Heaven, is a large, deciduous tree up to 24m in height and 2.5m in girth, with a straight cylindrical bole. The tree is indigenous to central and southern India and is found across Madhya Pradesh, in Panchmahal and Bharuch districts in Gujarat, some coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh, and Ganjam and Puri districts in Orissa. The bark is light gray and smooth on young trees, and with large leaf-scars, rough, granular, and grayish brown in older trees. Leaves are pinnately compound, between 30-60 cm long with 8-14 pairs of leaflets. Flowers are small and yellowish-green, in panicles, with 5 petals and 5 sepals. Ailanthus excelsa seeds are produced in a one seeded 5 cm long samara. The plant is drought resistant and native to India. The bark and the leaves of Ailanthus excelsa are used for many medicinal purposes, and the wood is an important raw material for making matchsticks and plywood.