Rhus typhina
Object Details
- Description
- Staghorn sumac has extremely fuzzy, young stems which are covered in red-brown hairs. The branching, velvety nature of these young stems reminds some of the velvet that covers the horns of a stag, thus the name staghorn sumac. There are many types of sumacs, but this is the largest of the North American sumacs - and not in the same genus as poison sumac. When ripe, jelly or “pink lemonade” can be made from the fruit.
- Hardiness
- -40 - 20 F
- Attracts
- Birds
- Bloom Time
- June to July
- Ethnobotanical Uses
- "Pink lemonade" of "Indian lemondae" is made from the fruit.
- Provenance
- Uncertain
- Range
- Central to E. US; E. Canada
- Habitat
- Dry, rocky or gravelly soils, in old fields, clearings, roadsides, forest edges, open woods; 30-1500 meters
- Topic
- Trees
- Living Collections
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection
- On Display
- National Museum of Natural History
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2011-1083A
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Common Name
- Staghorn Sumac
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Rosanae
- Order
- Sapindales
- Family
- Anacardiaceae
- Genus
- Rhus
- Species
- typhina
- Life Form
- Deciduous shrub/sub-shrub
- Average Height
- 15-25'
- Bark Characteristics
- Extremely hairy stems can be used to identify species. Main stems are smooth with thin bark that sometimes peels off in layers.
- Bloom Characteristics
- Green-yellow, grow in large, hairy panicles. Male flower heads are larger than female heads.
- Dioecious
- Yes.
- Fall Color
- Orange, red, yellow
- Foliage Characteristics
- Alternate, pinnately compound leaves. 1-2' long. 13-27 leaflets are lanceolate with serrated margins. Each is 2-5" long.
- Fruit Characteristics
- Red drupe covered in hairs grows in pyramidal panicles. Matures in late August and persist through most of winter.
- Key ID Characteristics
- C-shaped leaf scars; extreme fuzziness on leaves and branches.
- Structure
- Open, flat-topped
- Metadata Usage
- Not determined
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2011-1083A
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