Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhina
Also listed as Rhus hirta, Datisca hirta
Also known as Staghorn Sumach, Red Sumac, Velvet Sumac
Climate Match for your location
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Staghorn sumac is a fast-growing deciduous shrub known for its velvety branches resembling deer antlers and brilliant orange-red fall foliage. It produces dense clusters of small greenish flowers followed by fuzzy red berries that persist through winter.
Why grow it
Staghorn sumac establishes quickly in poor soils and disturbed sites where many ornamentals struggle, making it useful for slope stabilization and pioneer plantings. Its winter-persistent berries provide late-season forage for birds when other food sources are depleted. Compared to smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), staghorn sumac tolerates wetter conditions and produces larger berry clusters, though it occupies more space at maturity.
Watch out for
Staghorn sumac spreads vigorously through both seed dispersal and root suckering, which can lead to dense thickets that crowd out other vegetation in a planting area. The fuzzy red berries attract birds that disperse seeds widely. Contact with plant material may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals. Locate plantings away from areas where aggressive spread would be unwanted.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Anacardiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Staghorn sumac is a fast-growing deciduous shrub known for its velvety branches resembling deer antlers and brilliant orange-red fall foliage. It produces dense clusters of small greenish flowers followed by fuzzy red berries that persist through winter.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Staghorn Sumac grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Staghorn sumac establishes quickly in poor soils and disturbed sites where many ornamentals struggle, making it useful for slope stabilization and pioneer plantings. Its winter-persistent berries provide late-season forage for birds when other food sources are depleted. Compared to smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), staghorn sumac tolerates wetter conditions and produces larger berry clusters, though it occupies more space at maturity.
Watch out for
Staghorn sumac spreads vigorously through both seed dispersal and root suckering, which can lead to dense thickets that crowd out other vegetation in a planting area. The fuzzy red berries attract birds that disperse seeds widely. Contact with plant material may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals. Locate plantings away from areas where aggressive spread would be unwanted.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Anacardiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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