Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
South Africa
China
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Ailanthus altissima
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Fields, Forest edges, Grassland, Roadsides
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm1,070.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Yellow green, Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Pink, Light Green, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Pollution, Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Prune in late summer or fall, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch, Spotted Lanterfly
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought, Variety of soil types
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Toxic
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Anthelmintic, Antispasmodic, Asthma, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
Bark, Root
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for woodware
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
AILANTHUS altissima
Common Name
Buttonbush
Tree-of-Heaven
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
कल्पवृक्ष
In German
Button Strauch
Baum des Himmels
In French
buttonbush arbuste
Arbre de paradis
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
Arbol del Cielo
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
Δέντρο του Ουρανού
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
Árvore do céu
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
Drzewo Nieba
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
Lignum de caelo
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Sapindales
Family
Bruniaceae
Simaroubaceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Ailanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
126
1
27800
👆🏻