Winged sumac is a native deciduous shrub or small tree in the Anacardiaceae family that is found in Central and Eastern USA and all areas of NC. It spreads by root suckers to form large colonies and is an important winter food source for many birds, mammals, and pollinators including bees. Summer flowers are in dense panicles from July to September. The central stem of the compound leaves has a distinctive wing between the leaflets. The leaves have an excellent red fall color. Drupes appear in fall and persist into winter. Shrubs are usually separate male and female plants so both are needed for fruit set. Winged Sumac does best in moist to dry fertile soils but is tolerant of a wide range of soil types including poor ones except for wet sites. Full sun is best as it is not very shade tolerant. This shrub could be used as a hedge in an area where it can spread. Otherwise, it is best used in naturalized areas for wildlife value but where the fall color can be enjoyed or on slopes for erosion control where it will spread by suckers. It is a host plant for the Luna moth ( Actias luna ) as well as the Red banded hairstreak ( Calycopis cecrops ) butterfly. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. There is some susceptibility to leaf spots, rusts, scale, aphids, and mites. It tends to spread aggressively by root suckersI
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗Reconciled to full toolbox: matched by slug to slug 'rhus-copallinum'. Identity (id/common/scientific name) preserved from the original 87-plant Hunnicutt set; attribute data refreshed from the 69-attribute toolbox scrape.
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: 7 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Rounded; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Large compound, odd-pinnate leaves up to 12 inches long with 9-21 oblong-lanceolate, shiny dark green leaflets up to 4 inches long. Margins are entire, base rounded and apex sharply pointed. Central leaf stalk is winged between the leaflets. Undersides paler with a few hairs. The leaves turn flame red in autumn.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1/8 inch greenish-yellow flowers with 5 petals in terminal 3-6 inch panicles from July to September. Often occurs as separate male and female plants (dioecious). Blooms from July to September.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit detail
Clusters of 1/4 inch dark red drupes that are covered with short hairs. Each drupe contains a smooth stone and persists through the winter, gradually becoming black.
Bark color
Light Brown
Bark detail
Its bark is smooth and light brown with numerous lenticels when young. Large, thin scales develop as the tree ages.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Stem is speckled with lenticels and covered with fine, velvety, reddish-brown hair. Buds are small, rounded and hairy, leaf scars u-shaped.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central and Eastern 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. It is also a host plant for the Luna moth. Butterflies and bees nectar at the flowers. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, white-tailed deer, opossums, wild turkey, and quail. Its bark is eaten by rabbits.
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