Unknown fruit tree (?) with large pinnate leaves-- Cerritos (CA)

[fastfeat]

Does anyone know this slender, 25-30' (8-10m) tree ? Leaves are even pinnate, superficially resembling\ Ailanthus, with approx 20 pairs leaflets. This is the second one I've seen in Cerritos. Both are in yards with other subtropical fruit trees (mostly Asian), so I think it's likely that this is one as well.

I can't say I recall seeing this in SoFla, though maybe at Fruit and Spice Park? Do any Spondias look like this? Or could survive (and thrive) in CA?

[Stevetoad]

we have those growing all over in santee. seems to have gone wild. ive always assumed that they were a type of sumac.

[chris78]

It is a Ailanthus altissima, commonly known as tree of heaven... It is from China and is through of as an invasive weed !!!

[georgeinbandonoregon]

as a bit of trivia this is the plant refered to in the play/book "a tree grows in brooklyn". despite its toughness and potential (and actual) weediness the tree gives a :"tropical " look to areas far removed from the true tropics.

[MattyB]

Ken, you know every tree that anyone has ever posted here and you don't know this weed that grows everywhere in inland SoCal? That's funny. You're still my go to guy for any tree I.D.!

[fastfeat]

Bzzzztt! All you Ailanthus-lovers are mistaken!! I spent a couple of years removing a Tree-of-Hell grove (and its vain attempts at recolonization) from my old Bellflower house; this ain't the same thing...

Here is a smaller tree of the same species in another Cerritos yard about a half mile away. This yard is chocked-full of fruit trees, including jackfruit, Murraya koenigii, and Syzygium samarangense, amongst others.

Keep those guesses coming...

Edited October 5, 2012 by fastfeat

[Karen]

Averrhoa bilimbi or cucumber tree?? We see it in many gardens of Asian families in Hawaii or some folks use it just for its novelty.

[fastfeat]

  On 10/5/2012 at 9:45 PM, Karen said:

Averrhoa bilimbi or cucumber tree?? We see it in many gardens of Asian families in Hawaii or some folks use it just for its novelty.

Good call, Karen. I'm not positive, but it looks pretty close to online images. Looks to be a relatively small-growing tree by the online photos; how big does it reach in Hawaii?

Averrhoa carambola grows here but gets whacked by frost every few years. Maybe A. bilimbi takes more cold? The taller tree I posted yesterday has a few years in the ground and has been through a few cold winters here-- apparently without damage.

[Karen]

Most of the ones I've seen are 15-20 ft., but they are kept pruned down since they are growing them for the fruit. The fruit comes along the trunk and older branches and they use it mostly for cooking or relishes. Just like the carambola, there is both a sweet type and a more sour type. Bilimbi supposedly is not quite as cold tolerant, but only know what I've read since we don't need to worry about that here!

Even the trees that I've seen growing just ornamentally have not been taller than 20-30 ft. They have very little spread unless they've been pruned when younger to force them to branch low. Guess you won't know for sure unless you see "cucumbers" along the trunk of those trees one day!

[daxin]

Could it be Toona sinensis? Young shoots are used as vegetable in China with some health benefit claims.

[fastfeat]

  On 10/7/2012 at 4:18 PM, daxin said:

Could it be Toona sinensis? Young shoots are used as vegetable in China with some health benefit claims.

Most excellent daxin!

I should've recognized the glaucous new shoots and reddish petioles on the smaller tree, but I'm used to seeing this more often as a big suckering clump. And I wasn't aware of it being used as a vegetable. This tree is uncommon in SoCal, but is more common in NorCal and Pacific NW.

The pale pink new growth of the cultivar 'Flamingo' is particularly showy.

Thanks again.

[daxin]

In China, Toona sinensis is called Xiang Chun, meaning fragrant spring tree, while Ailanthus altissima is called Chou Chun, meaning stinky spring tree. They do look very similar. However, the taste and smell of young shoots of Toona is for most people not that agreeable on first encounter, sort of like the situation with Durian. I have a small 'Flamingo' and have harvested some new shoots this year, and those tasted good except maybe a bit fibrous. This cultivar always abort the first flush of new leaves, even after the leaflet become fully formed, which is kind of strange.