Smooth Sumac is a native deciduous shrub appearing in every state and parts of Canada growing 9-15 feet tall and wide. It is found in most regions of NC. It is extremely drought-tolerant and is often found in disturbed areas, open woodlands, prairies, on dry rocky hillsides, and in canyons. Smooth Sumac tends to spread by suckers and forms dense colonies but is an important winter wildlife food source. Shrubs are separate male and female, so both are needed for fruiting. In summer large panicles of tiny flowers appear and are followed by clusters of red drupes in summer to fall that persist into winter. The large compound leaves have an excellent orange to red fall color. It is adaptable to most soil types except wet ones and tolerates sun to partial shade. In general, it is too weedy to use in the average landscape, so it is best utilized in naturalized areas or on slopes to help control erosion. It could be used as a hedge in an area where it is allowed to spread. It can be rejuvenated by cutting to the ground. This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. It has some susceptibility to leaf spot, rust, scale, aphids and mites. Tends to spread aggressively.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 9 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 9 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Multi-stemmed; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Alternate, compound leaves are 16-24 inches long with 11-31 sessile leaflets that are lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate and up to 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. Narrowed or rounded at the base and sharply pointed at the tip with sharply toothed edges. Dark green and smooth above and pale beneath with a waxy coating. Red to orange fall color is excellent.
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Green; White
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
5-10 inch long panicles of yellowish-green flowers bloom in May to July, with separate male and female flowers appearing on separate plants (dioecious). Individual flowers are 1/4 inch and five-petaled.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/4 inch red fruit covered in red sticky hairs in clusters from Aug. to October on female plants
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Older shrub's bark is brownish-gray, horizontally fissured, and slightly warty. Bark of major branches is brownish-gray to reddish-brown and more smooth.
Stem detail
The stems and branches are hairless and covered with a whitish waxy coating.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
U.S.A. to Canada
Distribution
All states in the USA and parts of Canada
Wildlife value
This plant provides nectar for pollinators. It is a larval host plant for Red-Banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) which has two broods a year from April-October. Butterflies nectar at the flowers. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, white-tailed deer, opossums, wild turkeys and quail.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Host plant for
Red-Banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) which has two broods a year from April-October
The leaves of this plant are a source of black ink. Pigment can also be obtained from the wood of this plant and if used in the textile, toy, and paper industry.