Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 7, 2026

Ailanthone

Ailanthone is a quassinoid allelochemical produced by the tree Ailanthus altissima. It is a key agent behind the tree's strong allelopathic effects, which inhibit the growth of competing plants by suppressing seed germination and disrupting root elongation. Native to China, Ailanthus altissima has become one of the worst invasive species in North America and Europe, where ailanthone is known to contribute significantly to its competitive spread.

Last revised
Jun 7, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
308 w
Citations
7
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Ailanthone
source ↗
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.208.660
  • InChI=1S/C20H24O7/c1-8-4-12(21)16(24)18(3)10(8)5-13-19-7-26-20(25,17(18)19)15(23)9(2)11(19)6-14(22)27-13/h4,10-11,13,15-17,23-25H,2,5-7H2,1,3H3/t10-,11-,13+,15+,16+,17+,18+,19+,20-/m0/s1
    Key: WBBVXGHSWZIJST-RLQYZCPESA-N
  • InChI=1/C20H24O7/c1-8-4-12(21)16(24)18(3)10(8)5-13-19-7-26-20(25,17(18)19)15(23)9(2)11(19)6-14(22)27-13/h4,10-11,13,15-17,23-25H,2,5-7H2,1,3H3/t10-,11-,13+,15+,16+,17+,18+,19+,20-/m0/s1
    Key: WBBVXGHSWZIJST-RLQYZCPEBG
  • CC1=CC(=O)[C@H]([C@]2([C@H]1C[C@@H]3[C@]45[C@@H]2[C@]([C@@H](C(=C)[C@@H]4CC(=O)O3)O)(OC5)O)C)O
Properties
C20H24O7
Molar mass 376.405 g·mol−1
Density 1.47 g/cm3
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Ailanthone is a quassinoid allelochemical produced by the tree Ailanthus altissima (commonly known as tree of heaven).1 It is a key agent behind the tree's strong allelopathic effects, which inhibit the growth of competing plants by suppressing seed germination and disrupting root elongation.234 Native to China, Ailanthus altissima has become one of the worst invasive species in North America and Europe, where ailanthone is known to contribute significantly to its competitive spread.356

References

References

  1. Heisy, Rod M. (February 1996). "Identification of an Allelopathic Compound from Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae) and Characterization of its Herbicidal Activity". American Journal of Botany. 83 (2): 192–200. doi:10.2307/2445938. JSTOR 2445938.
  2. Demasi, Sonia; Caser, Matteo; Fogliatto, Silvia; Vidotto, Francesco; Trotta, Francesco; Scariot, Valentina (2019). "Ailanthone inhibition data on seed germination and seedling growth of Lepidium sativum L. and Raphanus sativus L." Data in Brief. 26 104550. doi:10.1016/j.dib.2019.104550. PMC 6811969. PMID 31667308. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
  3. Sharma, Parul (2025-03-27). "Allelopathy: How Plants Inhibit the Growth of Other Plants". Botany with Parul. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
  4. Serim, Ahmet (2025-05-28). "Weed Suppression Potential of Ailanthus altissima Compost: Effects on Germination and Emergence". Proceedings of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. 78 (5). doi:10.7546/CRABS.2025.05.17. ISSN 2367-5535. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
  5. Nava, S.C. (29 April 2014). "Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven)" (Document). CABI. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.3889.
  6. Sladonja, Barbara; Sušek, Marta; Guillermic, Julia (October 2015). "Review on Invasive Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) Conflicting Values: Assessment of Its Ecosystem Services and Potential Biological Threat". Environmental Management. 56 (4): 1009–1034. Bibcode:2015EnMan..56.1009S. doi:10.1007/s00267-015-0546-5. PMID 26071766. Retrieved 28 February 2025.