Plant Family: Anacardiaceae
Growth Form: Deciduous shrub to small tree that tends to form thickets by rhizomes.
Leaves: Alternate, once-compound, up to 50 cm long, twigs and petioles hairless, there are 11 to 31 toothed leaflets that turn bright red in the fall.
Bark: Dark gray, smooth, with raised lenticels, the U-shaped leaf scars are deep and noticeable.
Flowers: Yellow-white, in large terminal panicles; July and August.
Fruits: Dark red, softly hairy, individually to 1 cm, but held in large pyramidal terminal clusters; fall into winter.
Habitat: Dry soils, forest openings, prefers full sun; drought tolerant.
Range: Throughout New England and much of North America, it is our most widespread Sumac.
Similar Species: Staghorn Sumac has twigs and branches that are velvety hairy.
Comments: As with other Sumacs, the flowers are quite attractive to bees, wasps, and other pollinators.
