PlantLegitNative swaps › Tree of heaven › Pennsylvania
What to plant instead of Tree of heaven in Pennsylvania
Sources (16)
- Web Soil Survey: official soil map for your property – USDA NRCS
- Flood Map Service Center: official flood-zone lookup by address – FEMA
- Virginia Cooperative Extension Gardener Handbook, ch. 2
- UMD: Soil to Fill Raised Beds – University of Maryland Extension
- NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance – NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
- NC State Ext.
- USDA PLANTS – USDA NRCS PLANTS Database
- NC State Ext.
- USDA PLANTS – USDA NRCS PLANTS Database
- NC State Ext.
- USDA PLANTS – USDA NRCS PLANTS Database
- NC State Ext.
- USDA PLANTS – USDA NRCS PLANTS Database
- NC State Ext.
- USDA PLANTS – USDA NRCS PLANTS Database
- VCE Rain Garden Plants – Virginia Cooperative Extension
5 plants recorded as native to Pennsylvania in the USDA NRCS PLANTS Database that fill a similar garden role to Tree of heaven (zones 4–8, full sun to part shade, 40 ft - 60 ft tall).
Tree of heaven in Pennsylvania: Yes — listed as prohibited. Law, dates and official source →
| Native plant | Type | Hardiness | Light | Mature size | Soil texture | pH | Moisture use | Wet-soil tolerance | Drought tolerance | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina | shrub | zones 3–9 | full sun | 8 ft - 25 ft tall | sand, loam | 4.5–7.2 | Low | None | High | NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS |
| Smooth sumac Rhus glabra | shrub | zones 3–9 | full sun to part shade | 9 ft - 15 ft tall | sand, loam | 5.3–7.5 | Low | Low | Medium | NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS |
| Hoptree Ptelea trifoliata | tree | zones 3–9 | full-shade | 15 ft - 20 ft tall | sand, loam | 4.8–7.0 | High | Low | Low | NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS |
| Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus | tree | zones 3–8 | full sun | 60 ft - 80 ft tall | sand, loam, clay | 6.0–8.0 | Medium | None | Medium | NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS |
| Tulip poplar Liriodendron tulipifera | tree | zones 4–9 | full sun | 80 ft - 120 ft tall | sand, loam | 4.5–6.5 | Medium | None | Low | NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS |
No plants match those filters.
Soil texture, pH range, moisture use, wet-soil (anaerobic) and drought tolerance: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database characteristics (retrieved 2026-10-14); “sand/loam/clay” = adapted to coarse/medium/fine-textured soils. Rain-garden tag: listed in VCE Rain Garden Plants (Virginia; genus-level entries count).
Your soil, water and flood risk
- Soil type: look up your yard in the official USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (texture, drainage class, flooding/ponding frequency).
- Flood zone: check the official FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
- Soil test: before amending, get a lab soil test through your state Extension (e.g. Virginia Cooperative Extension Gardener Handbook, ch. 2: sample 10+ spots to 6 inches; test every 3–4 years).
- Raised beds / amendments: University of Maryland Extension recommends filling raised beds with compost and topsoil at 1:2 or 1:1 (or compost and soilless mix 1:1) and a pH of 6.2–6.8 for most garden plants (UMD: Soil to Fill Raised Beds). Extension guidance warns against adding sand alone to clay; work in organic matter instead.
Rainfall: Pennsylvania averaged 45.0 inches of precipitation per year, 1991–2020 (mean of annual statewide totals, NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance). See wet yard & rain garden guide.
Nativity: USDA NRCS PLANTS state distribution (retrieved 2026-10-14); "native to the state" does not mean native to every county or habitat. Hardiness, light and size: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox where linked, otherwise our unverified estimate. Check your site, ZIP zone and local nursery stock; ask your county Extension office or state native plant society.
Other states
See also the evidence-based companion planting guide and Pennsylvania plant laws.
Checked 2026-10-14. Informational only, not legal or professional advice.