Page "Ailanthus altissima" Paragraph 1

In China, the tree of heaven has a long and rich history.

It was mentioned in the oldest extant Chinese dictionary and listed in countless Chinese medical texts for its purported ability to cure ailments ranging from mental illness to baldness.

The roots, leaves and bark are still used today in traditional Chinese medicine, primarily as an astringent.

The tree has been grown extensively both in China and abroad as a host plant for the ailanthus silkmoth, a moth involved in silk production.

Ailanthus has become a part of western culture as well, with the tree serving as the central metaphor and subject matter of the best-selling American novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.