Winged Sumac is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America, valued for its striking appearance and remarkable resilience in difficult growing conditions. This multi-stemmed plant typically grows 7 to 15 feet tall and spreads 10 to 20 feet wide, thriving in hardiness zones 4 through 9. Named for the distinctive winged leaf rachis that gives the plant its common name, it displays insignificant flowers in summer before attracting birds with its fruit. Its exceptional drought tolerance and ability to stabilize poor, shallow, or rocky soils make it an excellent choice for naturalized landscapes and erosion control.
Partial Sun
Moderate
4-9
180in H x 240in W
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Moderate
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Winged Sumac earns its place in native plant gardens through sheer toughness and elegance combined. The feathery, compound leaves create fine texture and brilliant fall color that stops you mid-season, while the plant itself asks remarkably little once established. It handles black walnut toxicity, shallow rocky soil, and rabbit browsing without complaint, making it one of the few shrubs that actually improves problem sites rather than merely surviving them. Birds flock to it for food, and it spreads modestly through root suckers, creating a natural colony effect in open landscapes.
Winged Sumac is primarily used in landscape design for naturalization and ecological restoration, particularly in native plant gardens and wildlife habitat projects. Its ability to stabilize slopes and eroded areas while supporting local bird populations makes it valuable for conservation-oriented landscaping. The plant serves as an important food source for songbirds and other wildlife.
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Prune Winged Sumac in late winter or early spring to remove dead, damaged, or crossing stems and to shape the plant's naturally open form. The species responds well to selective pruning that maintains its multi-stemmed character while improving air circulation. Keep in mind that the plant spreads by root suckers; removing above-ground growth may stimulate suckering, which is often desirable in naturalized landscapes but should be managed through removal or root barriers in confined spaces.
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“Rhus copallinum is native to eastern North America, where it occurs naturally from New York south to Alabama and Florida. The species has been documented in dryish soils on hillsides, open woods, glades, fields, and along roadsides and railroad tracks throughout the central and southern United States. Its regional abundance and ecological role in disturbed and natural landscapes have made it a reliable component of native plant palettes for generations.”