A friend has asked for ID of this street tree, growing in Scotts Valley, California. PlantSnap said it is Custard Apple (Annona reticulata) but that tree has 4-8" leaves (my specimen's leave are up to 3") that are malodorous when bruised (mine are odorless). Ideas?

Tree of Heaven, perhaps

Could be Pistacia chinensis, more photos of the overall tree would be helpful

http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plan...

To better help in identifying, is it possible to get additional photos from your friend? It will help to see a photo of the entire tree showing the growth habit, as well as a photo of a stem showing the leaf arrangement along the stem (which is not visible in your photo) and maybe a picture of the bark. Also, it might help narrow it down if you can give us an idea of where (city, or state) the tree is growing.

see below

dave said:Tree of Heaven, perhaps

Ailanthus altissima is very distinctive.
1. Crushed foliage has an acrid odor.
[nativegardener says....(mine are odorless)]

2. It has small bumps (glands) on the leaflets.
Cannot see these in the pic.
See link for close up detail.
https://www.google.com/search?...

And a photo of new growth. For those of us who live with Tree of Heaven, with more photos the tree would be very identifiable.

I always thought Tree of Heaven smelled like peanut butter.

DaisyI said: ...
I always thought Tree of Heaven smelled like peanut butter.

Me too! But not tasty peanut butter
Spent two hours yesterday helping daughter hack hers away from the driveway, grumbling about "Tree from Hell."

Tree of heaven smells like peanut butter and it is distinctive and strong, you can't miss it if you crush the leaves and give it a sniff.

Thanks for your replies. They look accurate but I can't confirm the peanut-butter fragrance (I'm not good with smells). I will invite my friend to send photos of the full tree and to check the fragrance of the leaves (she's better at that than I).

Hi nativegardener and the rest of the assembled IDers:

As per my style, let's do some forensics here. The singular image provided appears to be (replete with shadow details) a pinnate compound leaf composed of pairs of leaflets - 10 total - and lacking a single terminal leaflet. THAT detail may help eliminate a lot of WAGs, if it holds true when additional information comes along.

What can be ruled out: it's not Annona reticulata, because that plant has simple opposite leaves. I don't believe it can be Ailanthus altissima for the reasons provided by Silversurfer.

I think it could be Pistacia chinensis, which has pinnate compound leaves which often (always?) lack a terminal single leaflet. Here's a description from Dirr (I don't grow this plant):

LEAVES: Alternate, compound even pinnate, about 10" long, 10 to 12 (20) leaflets, each leaflet 2 to 4" long, 3/4" wide, terminal leaflets the shortest, lanceolate, short-stalked, acute or acuminate, mucronate to cuspidate, oblique, entire, glabrous at maturity, lustrous dark green; petiole -- 1 to 4" long, puberulous.

"And DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!!!"

There are a couple possibilities - Chinese Pistache, tree of heaven, sumac, walnut, ash are all valid, just to name a few.

I would like to know what the tree looks like, its flowers and fruits (if there are any), and how the leaves are arranged on the stem.

Species with pinnate compound leaves lacking a single terminal leaflet - based on information provided thus far - are valid considerations. That list only has one species - Chinese Pistache - which is supported by the evidence in hand.