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Rhus integrifolia
Also called Lemonadeberry, Sourberry
Lemonade sumac (Rhus integrifolia) is an evergreen shrub to small tree native to coastal Southern California and Baja California, known for its tart, lemonade-flavoured berries. It grows best in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil and tolerates heat, wind and poor soil, but is not frost tolerant.
Rhus integrifolia, also known as lemonade sumac, lemonade berry, or lemonadeberry, is a shrub to small tree in the sumac genus Rhus. It is native to the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges and the South Coast regions of Southern California. This extends from Santa Barbara County and the Channel Islands to San Diego County and extending into north-central Pacific coastal Baja California and its offshore islands such as Cedros Island.
It is 1–8 metres (3.3–26.2 ft) in height, with a sprawling form, and is a member of the chaparral plant community often found in canyons and on north-facing slopes below elevations of 900 metres (3,000 ft). Rhus integrifolia often hybridizes with Rhus ovata.
The lemonade berry plant is found on north and east-facing slopes and canyon floors in coastal areas of southern California and northern Baja California; however, one colony has even been observed as far north as Santa Cruz County. The lemonade berry occurs in both chaparral and coastal sage scrub communities.
The berries (drupes) of this species can be used to make lemonade flavored drinks (hence its common name). Allergic reactions may also result from skin contact with sap from some of the genera.
Fragrant sumac · Chinese sumac · Winged sumac · Sicilian sumac · Smooth sumac · Sugar sumac · Skunkbush sumac · Staghorn sumac · Sumac
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Rhus integrifolia 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.
