Sumac, Aromatic, Bare Root

Aromatic Sumac (Rhus aromatica)

A lower-growing sumac for sunny banks, rocky borders, and broad ground-covering patches. It spreads outward and offers autumn foliage without the taller outline of smooth sumac.

Key Characteristics

A bank-covering colony

Root suckers and stems that root at soil contact help form a connected patch. Use this habit where erosion control and low cover fit the landscape.

Fruit and shelter together

Ruffed grouse, robins, flickers, and wild turkeys use the red fruit. Dense growth also shelters small animals.

Choose the right sumac scale

These are species seedlings, not the named low-growing cultivar 'Gro-Low'. Compare Smooth Sumac for a taller, more expansive colony.

Product Details

• Native range: Eastern and central North America, extending into Mexico
• Life cycle: Deciduous woody perennial
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Dry; Medium-Dry; Medium
• Mature height: 2–6 feet
• Bloom: March–April
• Bloom color: Yellow, Green
• USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
• Fruit or seed: Small hairy red drupes on plants with female flowers; fruiting varies among seedlings.
• Pollination: Male and female flowers may be on the same or separate plants. Plant several seedlings; flower sex and fruiting are unselected.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Keep bare roots moist until planting, water the root zone during establishment, and mulch without covering the crown. Base fertilizer on a soil test; our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend can be used according to its label when feeding is needed.

Avoid poorly drained ground. Monitor dieback, scale, and leaf spots, and prune affected stems selectively. Avoid insecticides on open flowers. Seed-grown plants vary in growth, flowering, and fruiting.