Rhus aromatica

Common Names

Fragrant Sumac, Aromatic Sumac, Lemon Sumac, Polecat Bush, Polecat Sumac, Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac, Aromatica

Summary

Fragrant sumac is a native North American broadleaf deciduous shrub that forms dense thickets via spreading root suckers, typically 2–6 ft tall and 5–10 ft wide, with trifoliate, glossy blue-green leaves fragrant when crushed and orange to red to purple fall color; early-spring yellow-green flowers appear on twig tips, and female plants bear hairy red berries that persist into winter, with a dioecious flowering habit having separate male and female plants.

Culture favors full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil, tolerating dry and poor conditions and erosion-prone sites; it is drought-tolerant and supports wildlife, attracting bees, butterflies, and birds with its fruit; used for erosion control, mass plantings, ground cover, borders, and bank stabilization; Gro-Low is a popular ground-cover cultivar at 2–3 ft tall and 6–8 ft spread; propagation occurs by seed (scarified and stratified) or semi-hardwood cuttings, with spacing about 2–3 ft, hardy in zones 3–9, and maintenance includes pruning every three years (remove one-third of older canes) and occasional pest checks (leaf spots, scale).

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-6 feet

Spread

6-10 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, acidic soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil.

Soil pH

5.0-8.0, Acid to alkaline soils; broad pH range

Bloom Color

Yellow (pale yellow to yellow-green)

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green to blue-green, glossy; fall colors orange, red, purple, and yellow

Fall Foliage Color

Orange, red, and purple

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Layering, Division (via long rhizomes), Root suckers, Cuttings (softwood, semi-hardwood, hardwood), Root cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds.