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Rhus aromatica

(Fragrant Sumac)

Overview

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A larger growing cultivar, this plant can reach 6' and forms a dense, rounded plant.

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Fragrant Sumac, Aromatic Sumac, Lemon Sumac, Polecatbush, Skunkbrush, Squawbush, Sweet Sumac, Sweet Sumach

Description

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Genus Rhus

Polygamous or dioecious trees or shrubs , usually sapiferous; sap often irritant. Leaves compound . Flowers small, greenish, in axillary or terminal panicles. Calyx persistent , 4-6-lobed; lobes imbricate. Petals 4-6, spreading . Disk present. Stamens as many as or twice the number of petals; anthers bilocular , imperfect in the female flowers. Ovary unilocular ; styles 3, usually free . Drupe small and dry.

Commonly known as sumacs. A genus of 250 species occurring in the warm temperate and subtropical regions of both the hemispheres. Represented in Pakistan by 7 species, 4 of which are native .[1]

Physical Description

ID Features: Trifoliate leaves. Yellow, pubescent buds. Buds are covered by leaf scar.

Habit: A dense, rounded deciduous shrub . • Growth Form: Multiple StemShape and Orientation: Rounded

Flowers: Dioecious. Yellow flowers. Blooms in late March. 1" long catkins (male). Short, terminal panicles (female). • Bloom Period: Mid SpringFlower Color: chartreuse, pale yellow, yellow, yellow-green • Flower Conspicuous: No

Seeds: Seed per Pound: 49000 • Seed Spread Rate: Slow • Seedling Vigor: Low • Fruit: Hairy , red drupe. Female plants only. Matures in August. Persists. Borne in terminal panicles. • Fruit/Seed Abundance: Medium • Fruit/Seed Color: Red • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: Yes • Cold Stratification Required: Yes

Foliage: Foliage Color: Green • Summer foliage: Alternate leaf arrangement . Trifoliate , deciduous leaves. Ovate leaf shape. Coarsely toothed . 3" to 5" long. Pubescent . Underside. Glossy dark green. • Fall foliage: Orange to reddish-purple fall color. Showy. • Foliage Porosity Summer: Moderate • Foliage Porosity Winter: Porous • Foliage Texture: CoarseFall Conspicuous: Yes • Leaf Retention: No

Size/Age/Growth

Active Growth Period: Spring and Summer • Growth Rate: Slow. • Mature Height (feet): 5.0 • Maximum Height at 20 Years (feet): 5 • Size: to 6'. • Vegetative Spread Rate: None • Lifespan: Lifespan

Landscaping

Landscape Uses: Massing. Woods edge . Naturalistic areas. Bank covers . Groundcover. • Liabilities: Leaf spot. Rusts. Aphids. Mites . Scale.

Habitat

Hardy to zone 3.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,647 meters (0 to 8,684 feet).[2]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: PerennialCoppice Potential: Yes • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: Yes • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: No • Propagated by Cuttings: No • Propagated by Seed: Yes • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: No • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Summer • Fruit/Seed Period End: FallFruit/Seed Persistence: Yes

Growth

Culture: Transplant from containers . Full sun to mostly shade. Prefers acidic, well-drained soil. Soil adaptable. Suckers .

Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: Yes • Anaerobic Tolerance: None • Salinity Tolerance: Low • CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium • Minimum pH: 5.0 • Maximum pH: 8.0 • Fertility Requirement: Low

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade. • Shade Tolerance: Intolerant

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High • Minimum Precipitation: 16 • Maximum Precipitation: 55 • Moisture Use: Low

Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): -13°F. • Minimum Frost Free Days: 170 • Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Publishing author : Ait. Publication : Hortus Kew. (W. Aiton) 1: 367 1789

Similar Species

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Notice that the middle leaflet does not have the long, reddish petiole (stem) that Poison Ivy has.

Members of the genus Rhus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 46 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

R. aromatica (Fragrant Sumac) · R. aromatica var. arenaria (Fragrant Sumac) · R. aromatica var. aromatica (Fragrant Sumac) · R. aromatica var. serotina (Fragrant Sumac) · R. aromatica 'Gro-low' (Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac) · R. aromatica 'Grow-Low' (Fragrant Sumac) · R. aromatica 'Konza' (Konza Fragrant Sumac) · R. ashei (Ash's Sumac) · R. chinensis (Chinese Sumac) · R. copallina (Dwarf Sumac) · R. copallina copallina (Mountain Sumach) · R. copallina leucantha (Southern Sumac) · R. copallinum (Flameleaf Sumac) · R. copallinum var. copallinum (Flameleaf Sumac) · R. copallinum var. latifolia (Winged Sumac) · R. copallinum var. leucantha (Winged Sumac) · R. coriaria (Elm-Leaved Sumac) · R. crenata (Dune Crowberry) · R. glabra (Smooth Sumac) · R. glabra 'Laciniata' (Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac) · R. glauca (Gray-Green Taaibos) · R. hirta (Staghorn Sumac) · R. integrifolia (Lemonade Berry) · R. kearneyi (Desert Sumac) · R. lancea (African Sumac) · R. lanceolata (Prairie Sumac) · R. lentii (Pink Flowering Sumac) · R. michauxii (False Poison Sumac) · R. microphylla (Littleleaf Sumac) · R. ovata (Chapparal Sumac) · R. pendulina (River Karee) · R. pulvinata (Pulvinate Sumac) · R. sandwicensis (Neleau) · R. trichocarpa (Japanese Sumac) · R. trilobata (Aromatic Sumac) · R. trilobata var. anisophylla (Smoothleaf Skunkbush) · R. trilobata var. pilosissima (Fragrant Sumacpubescent Skunkbush Sumac) · R. trilobata var. quinata (Grand Canyon Skunkbush) · R. trilobata var. racemulosa (Summer Skunkbush) · R. trilobata var. simplicifolia (Single-Leaf Skunkbush) · R. trilobata var. trilobata (Ill-Scented Sumac) · R. typhina 'Tiger Eyes' (Staghorn Sumac) · R. virens (Evergreen Sumac) · R. virens choriophylla var. choriophylla (Evergreen Sumac) · R. virens var. choriophylla (Evergreen Sumac) · R. virens var. virens (Evergreen Sumac)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 22, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Yashin J. Nasir "Rhus". in Flora of Pakistan Page 4.. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Mean = 511.380 meters (1,677.756 feet), Standard Deviation = 522.580 based on 996 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/14/2012