Scientific Name:
Rhus glabra
Pronunciation:
roos GLAY-bruh
Common Name:
smooth sumac
Family Name:
Anacardiaceae
Plant Type:
Shrub - deciduous
Key ID Features:
New stems reddish; leaves alternate, bluish-green, turning rich red in autumn, pinnately compound with 11-31 opposite leaflets; flowers yellow-green, conical panicles; fruit red, spherical panicles, persistent. Winter ID: stems smooth, stout; scars encircle leaf buds.
Habit:
Stiffly upright
Form:
Round
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
2 - 3m
Mature Spread:
2 - 3m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
B.C. west of Cascades, Canada - eastern, U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Acidic
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Attract birds, Attract butterflies, Erosion control, Filler
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Compound Leaf:
Odd-pinnate
Colour in Fall:
Red
Shapes:
Lanceolate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Attenuate
Margins:
Serrate
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour
Inflorescence Type:
Panicle
Flower Morphology:
Dioecious plant
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, Yellow, Green
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun, Jul, Aug
Fruit Type:
Drupe, Edible
Fruit Colour:
Red, Dark-red
Fruiting Time:
Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Additional Info:
Showy, Edible, Persistent,
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Red, Brown
Leaf Scar Shape:
U-shaped
Organ Modifications:
Runners (or stolons)
Propagation:
Seed, Greenwood cuttings, Softwood cuttings
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Crown rot, Dieback, Rust, Scale insects, Wilt (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant)
