Low, irregular spreading shrub with lower branches that grow horizontally then turn up at the tips. Tends to sucker and root along stems that touch the soil, forming a dense stand. Yellow-green flowers appear before leaves emerge. Clusters of fuzzy red fruit form on female plants through June. Many birds and mammals feed on the fruit. Leaves turn bright red-purple in fall. Red-banded hairstreak butterfly caterpillars feed on decaying sumac leaves and oak litter.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Plant Type: Shrubs
Native Environment: Savanna / Woodland
Season of Interest: Mid (May - June), Late (July - frost)
Main Color:
Fall Color: Red, Yellow
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade
Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate
Nature Attracting
Pollinators/Beneficial Insects, Songbirds
Wildlife Benefit
Butterfly / Moth Host, Cover, Food/Birds, Food/Pollinators, Food/Small Animals, Nesting
Animal
Resistance
Deer Resistant
Size
Height:
2 to
6
feet
Spread:
6 to
10
feet
Size
Height: 2 to
6
feet
Spread: 6 to
10
feet
Size
Height: 2 to
6
feet
Spread: 6 to
10
feet
Typical Landscape Use
Good fast growing ground cover for banks and slopes. Can be massed or used in wind breaks. The straight-species is usually tall and leggy in a garden setting. The cultivar ‘Gro-Low’ is useful as a landscape plant for ground cover, but many don’t want to use cultivars.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Grow in full sun or part shade in average soil.
Special Features
Special Usage
Ground Cover, Salt Tolerant
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
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Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.