Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica
Spring pale yellow flowers followed by red drupes (berries) with a finale of super fall colors. The leaf has three leaflets, but the fragrant sumac terminal leaflet is sessile whereas it has a petiole on poison oak, among other differences:)
Plant Description
Plant Type: Shrub
Size: 2 – 8 ft tall, 4 – 8 ft wide
Form: Irregular to rounded, Spreading by root suckers.
Dormancy: Winter Deciduous
Flower Color: Cream, Yellow
Flowering Season: Spring
Fragrance: Fragrant Foliage
Wildlife Supported: Nectar for Butterflies, Caterpillars, Native Bees, Birds. The berries provide winter food for birds and small animals. Deer Resistance is high.
Landscaping Information
Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Soil Drainage: Fast (prefers a sandy soil)
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to -15° F
Natural Habitat: Slopes, washes, canyons, rocky prairies. Chaparral, Foothill Woodland
Common Uses: Hedges – spreads to form single-sexed colonies. Looks best en mass or drift-like plantings as seen in nature. Stabilize embankments. Wild parts of native plant gardens or naturalized areas. Monoecious but mostly dioecious.