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Rhus copallinum
Also called Shining Sumac, Dwarf Sumac, Black Sumac, Flameleaf Sumac, Mountain Sumac, Upland Sumac, Eastern Winged Sumac
Winged sumac is a small deciduous tree native to eastern North America, grown for its glossy leaves that turn orange-red in fall and its showy red berry clusters. It is tough and adaptable, tolerating poor, dry, or disturbed soils.
Rhus copallinum, the winged sumac, shining sumac, dwarf sumac or flameleaf sumac, is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae) that is native to eastern North America. It is a deciduous tree growing to 3.5–5.5 metres (11–18 ft) tall and an equal spread with a rounded crown. A 5-year-old sapling will stand about 2.5 metres (8.2 ft). The name Rhus copallina is also used, but this is not consistent with the rules of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy.
The tree can be planted in a container or above-ground planter. It has been recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway, as well as for land reclamation. Rhus copallinum can tolerate exposure to salt spray in maritime forests and coastal grasslands; it can grow in serpentine soil and shallow, rocky soil. Rhus copallinum tolerates soil pH ranging from 5.3 to 7.5, requires between 28 and 60 millimeters of water, and can survive a minimum temperature of -28 °F. There are male and female Rhus copallium shrubs: both are needed for reproduction.
The tree grows in full sun or part shade. Soil tolerances include clay, loam, sand, slightly alkaline, acidic, and well-drained soil. Its drought tolerance is high.
Rhus copallinum extends from the Coastal Plain of Florida to Ontario, Canada. Rhus copallinum extends as far west as Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas. (The R. copallinum var. lanceolata is also found in parts of Mexico.) This species is found in many different ecosystems such as Longleaf-slash pine, Loblolly- shortleaf pine, Oak-pine, Oak-hickory, and Oak-gum-cypress. R. copallinum is found in many plant associations, but does not indicate the presence of a specific habitat. This species grows best in full sunlight and well-drained soils, but is resistant to the effects of pollution, drought, heavy pruning, compacted soil, and transplanting. Additionally, once established, it is difficult to remove from an area. It is also known to be in competition with young pines and other hardwoods in multiple habitats.
Fragrant sumac · Chinese sumac · Sicilian sumac · Smooth sumac · Lemonade sumac · Sugar sumac · Skunkbush sumac · Staghorn sumac · Sumac
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Rhus copallinum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
