Article: What a Stinker! Offensive Tree Won't Go Away

One of the best ways to identify the ailanthus tree is to crumple one of its leaves. If an offensive odor overtakes you, then it is an ailanthus.

And the "stink tree," as it is called, is persistent: It is difficult to kill, can grow an inch a day and has firmly rooted itself in the mid-Atlantic region and some parts of the West.

The tree "is a pretty bad problem and it's getting worse. It takes over and out-competes native trees that are valuable resources," said Philip D. Pannill, a regional forester for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

"We're not only losing the battle against this tree, we're losing most of the wars," Pannill said.

It was imported from China, inadvertently ...

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