Native to both northeast and central China, as well as Taiwan.
A rare one here: only 10 on the map (#183 of 384 species).
Show Tree of heaven trees on the map
In China, the tree of heaven has a long and rich history. It was mentioned in the oldest extant Chinese dictionary and listed in many Chinese medical texts for its purported curative ability.
It is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species, and one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America.