In The Garden Now …. Staghorn Sumac

Sumac Leaves and Seed Clusters or Drupes
Rhus typhina

Text and photo by Victoria Gilleland
Photos taken in the Lake Forest Park garden of Mark and Leanne Gallison

Staghorn Sumac is a rather exotic looking shrub or small tree. It looks like it might have emerged from some tropical forest. Not so! Staghorn Sumac is native to the Northeastern US and Canada.

This plant will grow just about anywhere and actually thrives in extreme heat and cold. It does need well drained soil and sun. I remember seeing sumac growing near the Ginkgo Petrified Forest Visitors Center at Vantage in eastern Washington when we stopped there on family road trips. While no other ornamental plants were in sight, the sumac was thriving in that extreme climate with minimal water.

Sumac seed head drupes velvet covered branches

The ‘Staghorn’ moniker comes from the branches of this shrub being covered with velvety brown or rust colored hairs resembling that found on deer antlers in fall and winter. The branching pattern also looks a little like the typical antler forking pattern. The overall silhouette of this Sumac is attractive against the winter sky as well with upright reddish brown ‘drupes’ or seed clusters poised at the end of branches like burnished candles.

Year round this is an interesting plant. It has large showy green leaves made up of up to 31 leaflets. It produces petite greenish flowers in late spring. In late summer reddish clusters of fuzzy fruit appear. The fruit often decorates the branches through winter and into spring. Fall color is spectacular in shades of red, orange and yellow.

Sumac Tree

This is a very fast growing deciduous shrub or small tree often reaching 10 feet high in 5 or 6 years. It often ‘suckers’ forming large clumps or sends rhizomes into neighboring garden beds where young plants pop up. It’s great for erosion control on sunny slopes. It’s not the best choice for the smaller garden. Where space is limited or where suckering needs to be controlled it can be grown in a large container such as a half wine barrel where it will stay put and grow more slowly. It’s worth considering if you like the unique look of this plant.

If you see a burst of fall color in the distance it might well be a Staghorn Sumac. Take a closer look! It’s a fun plant to enjoy in the neighborhood or safely contained in your own garden.

 (Botanical Name:  Rhus typhina)

Victoria Gilleland is the owner of Cottage Garden Designs, a Garden Design company specializing in Redesign of Residential Gardens, Garden Consultation and Coaching. She has been designing gardens in the northwest for over 20 years.