Tree of Heaven — Rockaway Field Guide Botanical Print

Tree of heaven — Ailanthus altissima — the most defiant tree in New York City. It grows through sidewalk cracks, out of crumbling walls, in subway grates, and along every neglected fence line in the five boroughs. Introduced from China in the 1700s as an ornamental, it has since become one of the most aggressive invasive trees in North America. It smells terrible when cut. It is nearly impossible to kill. The city didn't ask for it and can't get rid of it — which makes it, in some ways, the most New York tree there is. Illustrated for the Rockaway Field Guide, a field study of native and invasive plant species created in collaboration with the RISE initiative in Queens, New York.

Illustrated by Kelly Funabashi in Procreate. Printed as a museum-quality fine art poster on thick, durable matte paper sourced from Japan.
• Paper thickness: 10.3 mil
• Paper weight: 5.57 oz/y² (189 g/m²)
• Giclée printing quality
• Opacity: 94%
• ISO brightness: 104%

Produced on demand. Each print ships directly to you.