Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra L.

Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family)

▲ young shoots near a mature colony

▲ ▼ colony of mature, flowering plants

▲ smooth, waxy stems on smooth sumac

▲ ▼ flowers

▲ ▼ fruit

▲ ▼ fall color

Location near campus: along east end of walk along north side of Lake Drummond at Close Park.

Rhus glabra L.; Smooth Sumac: (Bayer Code: RHUGL; US Code RHGL)

Perennial native shrub or small tree that reproduces by seeds and rhizomes
Tends to increase in pasture/prairie restorations that include burning--not controlled by burning
Has pinnately-compound, smooth, shiny leaves that have great fall color--turn brilliant orange, red-orange or red
Leaves are deciduous, alternate, pinnately compound with 11-31 leaflets
Leaf is 12-18 inches long with red rachis (main central stem of leaf), each leaflet is 2-5 inches long and about 1/4 as wide, dark green above and white-waxy (glaucous) below, with toothed margins
Stems are stout, angled, reddish, with some hair and U-shaped leaf scars; stems are aromatic when broken
Bark is grayish, lightly fissured/plated on older stems
Fruit is attractive in crimson-red terminal clusters of fuzzy drupes
Grows 10-20 feet tall, with mounded crown, can spread by root suckers/sprouts to form a large colony
Prefers full sun and well-drained soils or dry soils; does not tolerate wet soils
Faster growth from new suckers; slower growth on existing stems
Native to Missouri
Tends to increase in prairie/pasture restorations that include burning--not well-controlled by burning
Usually not grazed by cattle, but can provide some cover
Can distinguish from staghorn sumac by the smooth or waxy-coated new growth on smooth sumac, and the velvety-hairy new growth on staghorn sumac
Can distinguish from winged/shining sumac by the lack of leafy wings along the rachis on smooth sumac

(Updated January 15, 2019)