Smooth sumac.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Deciduous shrub

Light

Full sun

Indoor light

Direct sun

Water

Every 7 to 14 days

Mature size

10 to 15 feet

Growth rate

Fast

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 9

Bloom time

Late spring to early summer

Care

Plant this shrub in a spot with plenty of sun to encourage the best growth and color. Keep an eye out for suckering, as this plant tends to spread and form colonies. It is quite drought tolerant once it is established in your garden.

Watering

Water deeply during the first season until the roots are well established.

Feeding

A light application of balanced fertilizer in early spring is plenty.

Pruning

Prune in late winter to remove dead wood or to control the size of the shrub.

Repotting

This shrub is best suited for the ground rather than containers.

Soil

Well drained, adaptable to rocky soil

Soil pH

5.0 to 7.5

Temperature

-35 to 35°C

Humidity

30 to 70%

Safety

People

The plant is generally considered non-toxic, though some individuals may experience skin irritation from the sap.

Children

The berries are safe to handle, but the plant has no thorns and its sap can irritate sensitive skin, so it is best to keep young children from breaking the stems.

Contact allergens

The sap can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Airborne allergens

Pollen may cause mild seasonal allergies for some people.

Edibility

The berries are edible but can be tart and hairy, so strain them well if making sumac tea.

How to identify it

• Smooth, hairless reddish stems
• Pinnately compound leaves
• Bright red autumn foliage
• Upright clusters of red berries

Height

2 to 5m

Spread

3 to 6m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

yellow, green, 0.5 to 1cm

Fruit

red, Autumn

Problems to watch for

• Verticillium wilt · A soil-borne fungus that causes wilting and dieback of branches.
• Sumac gall aphid · Small insects that create distinct, harmless galls on the leaves.

Growing it

Propagation

seed, division, cuttings

When to plant

spring, autumn

Plant in groups to create a naturalistic thicket that supports birds and pollinators.

Grows well with

• Little Bluestem · This grass thrives in the same dry, sunny conditions as the sumac.
• Purple Coneflower · It adds a nice color contrast to the sumac in a native meadow planting.

Similar species

• Staghorn Sumac · It looks similar but has fuzzy, hairy stems.

Science

Family

Anacardiaceae

Genus

Rhus

Order

Sapindales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Across most of North America.

Conservation

This plant is widespread and not of conservation concern.

It is a pioneer species that quickly colonizes disturbed sites and provides cover for small wildlife.

Value to wildlife

nectar source, winter food for birds, larval host plant

Pollinators

bees, butterflies, beetles

Uses

ornamental shrub, erosion control, wildlife habitat, culinary spice

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this the same as poison sumac?

No, smooth sumac is harmless, while poison sumac has white berries and grows in wet, swampy areas.

How do I control its spread?

You can prune the suckers at the base or mow them regularly to keep the colony in check.

Where the name comes from

Rhus is the ancient Greek name for sumac, and glabra refers to the smooth, hairless stems.

Good to know

• It is often called smooth sumac because its stems lack the hairs found on staghorn sumac.
• Native Americans used the berries to make a refreshing, lemonade-like drink.
• The plant spreads by underground rhizomes, often forming large colonies.
• It is highly adaptable to poor, rocky soils.