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Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica

Fragrant Sumac is a colony-forming shrub that produces small yellow flowers in the spring and red berries in the fall. In the fall its foliage turns to vibrant hues of red, orange, and purple. A favorite of pollinators; carpenter bees will tunnel into sumac stems for winter nesting habitat.

USDA symbol: RHAR4

General Information

Plant TypeShrub
Height3 to 6 feet
Light ExposureSun, Part Sun, Shade
Soil MoistureDry, Medium
Bloom ColorYellow
Fragrant Sumac (Fragrant Sumac<div><em class="small">Rhus aromatica</em></div>)
Photo credit: CC Krzysztof Ziarnek (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceModerate
General Resilience10
Salt ToleranceLow
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Very High

Bloom MonthsApril to June
Larval Host ofBees
Specific Pollinators HostedAndrena brevipalpis, Colletes nudus
Pollinator BenefitInsect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Stem Nesting, Supports Generalists

Project Planning

Project TypeErosion Control, Restoration
Coefficient of Conservatism7
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadMedium
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAnoka, Carver, Chisago, Cottonwood, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, Winona, Wright
EcoregionDriftless Area, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Lakes and Forests, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland