Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

fragrant sumac

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Rhus aromatica

Family:

Anacardiaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

3-6 (8) ft tall by 3-8 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

red

Phenology:

deciduous

Noted For:

Showy Fruits, Fall Color, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen shrub, border, windbreak. This is a spreading, somewhat sprawling shrub.

Considerations:

Availability:

Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed. Often grown in the midwest from bareroot seedlings.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Not wet but not extremely dry ---to--- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Slightly acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds, Mammals

Primarily pollinated by bees.



  • Provides nesting, roosting and loafing cover for a variety of songbirds and game birds.


  • Its fruit may not be the first choice of many kinds of wildlife, which allows it to persist into mid-winter for emergency use when other sources of food are covered by snow. Its twigs and foliage provide good deer browse. (excerpted from Kansas Forest Service description)


Native Habitats:

Dry, somewhat open woods.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Range barely reaches north Florida.