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Tree of Heaven

Ailanthus altissima · Simaroubaceae
20m
Mature height
13
Councils: no permit needed
0
Councils: exempt under a height limit
7
Councils: permit required
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) growing in Sydney
Tree of Heaven · typical mature form

Do you need a permit?

Tree of Heaven sits on the exempt species list in 13 of the 20 councils Pro Climbing Tree Services covers, so in most of Sydney it can be removed without a permit. Heritage listings and significant tree registers still override that.

How to identify it

Very large compound leaves up to a metre long with eleven to twenty five leaflets, each with a distinctive notch and gland near the base. Crushed foliage smells unpleasant, often described as rancid peanut butter. Clusters of papery winged seeds on female trees.

Where it grows in Sydney

Naturalised through the Inner West, City of Sydney, Canterbury-Bankstown and Georges River, especially in laneways, rail corridors and neglected side passages.

Common problems

  • One of the most aggressive suckering trees in Sydney
  • Roots damage footings, paving and drains
  • Releases chemicals that suppress nearby plants
  • Regrows more vigorously after cutting unless roots are treated

What removal involves

Exempt in almost every council on this list. The technical challenge is entirely below ground: cutting alone triggers a flush of suckers across a wide area, so stump and root treatment at the time of removal is essential, with follow up in the following season.

Council permit rules, council by council

Status below is for a tree on private land that has passed the council’s size threshold. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping and conditions of development consent override every exemption shown here.
Council
Status
What it means
Northern Beaches
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Ku-ring-gai
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Hornsby Shire
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
The Hills Shire
Confirm with Council
Council holds its species exemptions in a document rather than on its website, so confirm this species with Council before treating removal as exempt. Size thresholds apply in the meantime. Official rules
Blacktown City
Permit required
Council does not run a species exemption list. A permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold, and each tree is assessed on its own merits. Official rules
North Sydney
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Willoughby
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Lane Cove
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
City of Ryde
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Hunters Hill
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
City of Sydney
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Inner West
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Woollahra
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Waverley
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Randwick
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Bayside
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Georges River
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Strathfield
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Burwood
Confirm with Council
Council holds its species exemptions in a document rather than on its website, so confirm this species with Council before treating removal as exempt. Size thresholds apply in the meantime. Official rules
Canterbury-Bankstown
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
It came back worse after we cut it down. Why?

Ailanthus responds to cutting by sending up suckers from its root system, often dozens of them across a wide area. It needs stump and root treatment at the time of removal rather than felling alone.

Commonly confused with

Rhus Tree
Both have large compound leaves and colour in autumn. Rhus causes severe skin reactions, so identify before touching

Related species

Rhus Tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum) growing in Sydney
Rhus Tree
Toxicodendron succedaneum
Golden Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia') growing in Sydney
Golden Robinia
Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia'
African Olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) growing in Sydney
African Olive
Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata
Athel Tree (Tamarix aphylla) growing in Sydney
Athel Tree
Tamarix aphylla

Important note on council rules

This encyclopedia is a practical guide for Sydney property owners, not legal advice. Council tree rules change, and exemptions are frequently overridden by heritage listings, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping, endangered ecological communities and conditions attached to development consent. Always confirm the current rules with your council for your specific address before any tree work begins, or ask us to check it for you.

Quick facts

Botanical name
Ailanthus altissima
Also known as
Chinese Sumac
Family
Simaroubaceae
Origin
China
Mature height
10m to 20m
Canopy spread
8m to 15m
Growth rate
Very fast
Foliage
Deciduous, large compound leaves
Typical lifespan
50 years plus
Root habit
Extremely aggressive and suckering
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No permit needed? Then we can book it in now.

Exempt species still need to come down safely, and several councils want notice or a fee free permit lodged first. We check that for your address, handle any paperwork, and quote the removal, stump grinding and clean up together.
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