Fragrant Sumac – Simcoe County Master Gardener

Simcoe County Master Gardeners

Grow Natives!

PLANT PROFILE

COMMON NAME: Fragrant Sumac

BINOMIAL: Rhus aromatica

Family	Anacardiaceae (cashew)
Cdn Native Range	southern and eastern Canada, primary range from Ontario to western Quebec
Natural habitat	dry, rocky or sandy areas, including open woods, lower rocky slopes, bluffs, and shoreline habitats
Type	deciduous spreading groundcover shrub
Features	small yellow spring flowers, brilliant red and orange fall color, red berries and alternate compound lemon-scented leaves when crushed
Growth habit	medium growing shrub with dense, mounding, spreading habit (to 12 ft)
Mature height	0.91 – 1.8m (3–6 ft)
Mature spread	1.8 – 3m (6–10 ft)
Life span	25 – 30 years
Cdn Hardiness Zone	3–7
Growing conditions	full sun to part shade
Soil conditions	prefers poor acidic conditions; adaptable to varied well-drained, harsh and poor soil conditions.
Watering needs	low
Fertilizer needs	n/a
Tolerance	drought, poor soil, including clay, and shade, salt; not usually bothered by deer or rabbits; does not tolerate flooding or soil compaction
Maintenance rank	low
Maintenance needs	low/prune for renewal and to control spread
Bloom	tiny yellow catkin-like flowers in spring before foliage
Fruit	edible red berries in fall
Pollinator support	nectar and pollen source for bees and butterflies
Environmental support	berries are food source for birds; thickets provide cover for small mammals and birds; groundcover on slopes for erosion control and can be turf replacement for naturalizing; ideal for filling parking lot islands
Garden Use	border for gardens and walking paths; accent grouping under treesNote: Popular cultivar ‘Gro-Low’ has compact, low-growing habit (approx. 2 ft high x 7 feet wide)
Risks & Cautions	No major diseases or pests; aggressive spread/plant roots along stems whenever low branches touch soil