Extension Communications |
10/16/03
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Linda Naeve, Reiman Gardens, (515) 294-8946, lnaeve@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033,
jmcguire@iastate.edu
Staghorn Sumac Makes a Statement in the Fall
Linda Naeve
Extension Coordinator
Reiman Gardens
The color red is often associated with passion and excitement. Whether it is on a stop sign or in the garden, your eyes are automatically drawn to the color red. Red flowers and foliage attract the greatest attention in a garden and visually bring the garden closer to the viewer. This is very evident with this week's Reiman Pick, the staghorn sumac.
A few weeks ago, the sumac was an ordinary green shrub growing in landscapes and along hillsides. No one paid much attention to it. Then, almost overnight, its foliage changed to a brilliant red, causing many heads to turn and admire its beauty.
Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, is a shrub native to Iowa and the upper Midwest and the eastern part of the United States. It is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8. Although it is considered a shrub, sumac may grow to a height of 25 feet and 15 to 20 feet in width. Branches and twigs on staghorn sumac are thick and forked. They are covered with brown, velvety hair that resemble deer antlers in velvet, hence its common name.
Staghorn sumac leaves extend 1 to 2 feet in length and consist of 11 to 13 long, narrow leaflets. Their large leaves with many leaflets give the plant a full and branched appearance during the growing season. However, when the leaves drop in the fall, the plants look much different with only a few branches and a simple structure.
Two staghorn sumac cultivars, Dissecta and Laciniata, are popular because of their "cutleaf" foliage. Their leaflets are deeply divided, creating a fine-textured, delicate appearance.
Staghorn sumac grows best in full sun and is tolerant of poor, dry soils. Sumac grows in a wide range of soil conditions, as long as the soil is well drained.
Staghorn sumac, planted as a single plant, will become several plants growing in a clump or thicket rather than remain as individual specimen plants. This occurs because sumac spreads into surrounding areas by root suckers. This characteristic makes it a good choice for large-scale specimens, but not in groupings with other species of trees or shrubs. Sumac is an excellent plant for steep hillsides because it is tolerant of poor soil conditions and its spreading roots will hold the soil in place.
In mid-summer, staghorn sumac plants produce 4- to 8-inch long panicles of non-showy, greenish-yellow flowers. By late summer, the panicles become crimson red with small fruit packed into tight clusters at the ends of the branches. The fruit will persist on the plants for a few months and make an attractive feature in the winter landscape.
An observant gardener may notice that although most of the staghorn sumac plants in a thicket will produce flowers in summer, not all of the plants produce the attractive fruit. Staghorn sumac plants are dioecious, which means there are separate male and female plants. The male plants will flower and provide the pollen for the female flowers. However, only the female sumac plants will produce a cluster of fruit. Gardeners will find only female plants of cutleaf cultivars, such as Dissecta and Laciniata, are available from nurseries.
You can rejuvenate old colonies or thickets of staghorn sumac with thorough, judicious pruning in the spring. Prune dead and weak stems back to the ground. This will help maintain the vigor of the planting without destroying its unique growth habit. Never shear off the tops of sumac when it gets too tall. Bring the size down by completely removing the tall stems.
Several colonies of staghorn sumac have naturalized at Reiman Gardens. They were planted long before the Reiman Gardens were opened, and the sumac continues to contribute to the beauty and function of the landscape. It will not be difficult to find them this time of year.
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To the Editor: Please note Linda Naeve's job title to attribute this article.
Editors: Two color photos, suitable for publication, are available at right. Click on each thumbnail photo to go to the fullsized photo. The top picture's fullsize photo is 400K and the bottom picture's fullsize photo is 712K. Caption: sumac 1 |
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Caption: sumac 2 |