Fragrant Sumac - Rhus aromatica
This native woody shrub averages between 2 and 8 feet in height with some variety in size and branching habit. Fragrant Sumac can be an erect shrub with ascending branches, or it can be a low shrub with spreading branches. The trunk and lower branches are grayish brown and woody, while the upper branches are more or less pubescent. The alternate leaves are trifoliate. The individual leaflets are up to 3" long and 1½" across, although they are often half this size.. They are elliptic, oval-ovate, oblanceolate, or obovate in shape, coarsely crenate or shallowly cleft along their margins, and green, yellowish green, or red. The upper surface of each leaflet is glabrous to finely pubescent, while the lower surface is sparsely pubescent to softly hairy.. Occasionally, short spikes of flowers or panicles of floral spikes are produced from the axils of the leaves. These flowers can appear before or during the early development of the leaves. Each floral spike is up to 1" long. The individual flowers are greenish yellow, short-tubular in shape, and about 1/8" long. The blooming period occurs during the spring. During the summer, the flowers are replaced by hairy red drupes. Each drupe is up to ¼" across and globoid-ovoid in shape; it contains a single stone (seed with a hard coat). The root system consists of a woody branching taproot.
Fragrant sumac is often mistaken for Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) but it is not poisonous and has different characteristics. The most reliable differentiating characteristic is that Poison Ivy's middle leaflet has a distinct petiole, whereas Fragrant Sumac does not. The leaves and stems of Fragrant Sumac have a citrus or pleasant bittersweet fragrance when crushed, and it inhabits mostly uplands areas, while Poison Ivy has no odor and can inhabit various habitats.
Fragrant Sumac - Rhus aromatica
This native woody shrub averages between 2 and 8 feet in height with some variety in size and branching habit. Fragrant Sumac can be an erect shrub with ascending branches, or it can be a low shrub with spreading branches. The trunk and lower branches are grayish brown and woody, while the upper branches are more or less pubescent. The alternate leaves are trifoliate. The individual leaflets are up to 3" long and 1½" across, although they are often half this size.. They are elliptic, oval-ovate, oblanceolate, or obovate in shape, coarsely crenate or shallowly cleft along their margins, and green, yellowish green, or red. The upper surface of each leaflet is glabrous to finely pubescent, while the lower surface is sparsely pubescent to softly hairy.. Occasionally, short spikes of flowers or panicles of floral spikes are produced from the axils of the leaves. These flowers can appear before or during the early development of the leaves. Each floral spike is up to 1" long. The individual flowers are greenish yellow, short-tubular in shape, and about 1/8" long. The blooming period occurs during the spring. During the summer, the flowers are replaced by hairy red drupes. Each drupe is up to ¼" across and globoid-ovoid in shape; it contains a single stone (seed with a hard coat). The root system consists of a woody branching taproot.
Fragrant sumac is often mistaken for Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) but it is not poisonous and has different characteristics. The most reliable differentiating characteristic is that Poison Ivy's middle leaflet has a distinct petiole, whereas Fragrant Sumac does not. The leaves and stems of Fragrant Sumac have a citrus or pleasant bittersweet fragrance when crushed, and it inhabits mostly uplands areas, while Poison Ivy has no odor and can inhabit various habitats.