Sumac, Smooth, Bare Root

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)

A tall, spreading shrub for open habitat edges and restoration areas. Its red fall leaves and fruiting clusters are most useful where a colony has space to develop.

Key Characteristics

A host beyond the flower garden

Red-banded hairstreak butterflies use smooth sumac as a host. Retain leaf litter beneath the patch instead of clearing every fallen leaf.

Keep the fruiting females

Wild turkeys, quail, and songbirds use the fruit. Male plants do not carry clusters but provide the pollen that female plants need.

Plan a boundary before planting

Root suckers can spread well beyond the original stem. Use it where a tall colony belongs, or compare Aromatic Sumac for a lower-growing option.

Product Details

• Native range: Widespread across the United States and parts of Canada
• Life cycle: Deciduous woody perennial
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Dry; Medium-Dry; Medium
• Mature height: 9–15 feet
• Bloom: May–June–July
• Bloom color: Green, White
• USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
• Fruit or seed: Upright red fruit clusters on female plants, often retained after leaf fall.
• Pollination: Separate male and female plants are needed for fruit. These seedlings are unsexed; plant several for a better chance of both.

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.

Remove diseased stems if dieback develops. Maintain a managed colony edge instead of repeated whole-patch shearing. Avoid insecticides on open flowers. Seed-grown plants vary in growth, flowering, and fruiting.