Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is not on the Texas Department of Agriculture noxious or invasive plant list. Harris County does not prohibit it, but Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Texas Invasives.org urge removal because it hosts the spotted lanternfly threatening Texas vineyards and pecan groves.
Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 71 lists state noxious and invasive plants, but Tree of Heaven is currently absent. Harris County therefore has no formal prohibition or removal mandate. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Council classify Ailanthus altissima as a high-risk invasive in the Houston-Galveston region because it spreads aggressively along bayous and rail corridors and is the preferred host of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), a quarantine pest of grapes, hops, and stone fruits already detected in northern states. Harris County Precinct foresters and the Texas Forest Service educate landowners on basal bark herbicide treatments and recommend cutting only after stump or foliar herbicide application.
There are no Harris County or Texas fines for harboring tree of heaven. If spotted lanternfly is detected, federal Plant Protection Act quarantine rules apply through USDA APHIS, including movement controls and possible mandatory removal at owner expense.
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See how Harris County's tree-of-heaven removal rules stack up against other locations.
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