How do I identify staghorn sumac?

Even in winter (when there are no leaves), you can tell the two apart by inspecting their twigs:

1. The leaflets of poison sumac have smooth margins; those of staghorn sumac are toothed.
2. A staghorn sumac leaf will have at least 9 leaflets on it (up to 31).

How do you identify sumac leaves?

Poison sumac has clusters of white or light-green berries that sag downward on its branches, while the red berries of harmless sumac sit upright. Also, each stem on the poison sumac plant has a cluster of leaflets with smooth edges, while harmless sumac leaves have jagged edges.

How can you tell the difference between sumac and Tree-of-Heaven?

Sumac leaflets are serrated or toothed (jagged edges), while Tree of Heaven leaflets have smooth edges. Seeds/Fruits: As mentioned previously, sumac trees have a reddish, cone shaped cluster of fuzzy fruits that can persist throughout the summer and fall months.

What does harmless sumac look like?

These berries are yellow-green to green (or even slightly gray) during the summer and mature into cream-colored berries in the fall. Non-poisonous sumac, in contrast, has red berries that grow in an upright, conical shape.

How can you tell the difference between sumac and tree of heaven?

What’s a tree-of-heaven look like?

​What does tree-of-heaven look like? This is a fast-growing tree that typically grows into a large tree between 45 and 60 feet tall with a wide-spread crown that has multiple branches. Long, compound leaves (between 11 and 31 leaflets per leaf) are dark green above and pale green below.

Is staghorn sumac tree-of-heaven?

Sumac: How can you tell the difference? Staghorn Sumac is a native to Ohio and a great naturalizer plant. Tree of Heaven is an invasive and extremely aggressive in growth and proliferation.

How can you tell the difference between staghorn sumac and tree of heaven?

However, staghorn sumac leaves are shorter than Tree-of-Heaven, ranging from 16 to 24 inches long, and having anywhere from nine to 31 leaflets. This close-up shows the margins or edges of staghorn sumac leaflets. As you can see, they are not smooth like Tree-of-Heaven, but have teeth or serrations along the edge.

Is staghorn sumac invasive?

The velvety texture and forking pattern of its branches — somewhat comparable in appearance to a deer’s antlers in velvet — is where the “staghorn” moniker came from. The reason that it may be considered invasive is because staghorn sumac grows in colonies and spreads aggressively.

Is the tree of heaven and sumac the same tree?

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) Also called shumac, stinking sumac, Chinese sumac, and ailanthus, it was introduced by a Pennsylvania gardener in 1748 and was made available commercially by 1840. It gained some notoriety as the species featured in the book “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” by Betty Smith.

What does poison sumac leaves look like?

The leaves in the fall are beautiful and can be yellow and pink, red and pink or red, pink and yellow. In late fall, the leaves can become a brilliant red color that is much like that of a red maple tree. In the fall, many well-meaning nature lovers often get too close to poison sumac and end up with a nasty rash.

How can you tell the difference between sumac and walnut?

The key difference lies in the leaflet margin, or edge. Sumac (both smooth and staghorn, Rhus glabra and typhina respectively) and walnut have serrated leaves, while Ailanthus leaves are smooth, with the exception of a few teeth near the leaflet base.

Can I cut back staghorn sumac?

The staghorn sumac (Rhus Typhina) should be pruned as little as possible. As this tree is famous for its outlandish growing habit, a slight correction of the crown may be desirable. This modest trimming can be done in June. If you want to prune more drastically, it is better to wait until late autumn or winter.

What looks like poison sumac But isn t?

Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum) looks similar to poison sumac, but is nonallergenic (doesn’t cause an allergic reaction). Winged sumac can be distinguished from poison sumac by its 9–23 leaflets and red berries. The most widespread sumac — staghorn sumac — is non-poisonous.

How long do staghorn sumac trees live?

With proper growing conditions, a staghorn sumac can live for up to fifty years and grow as tall as fifteen feet.

How do you identify a staghorn sumac?

They are such a pretty plant and are very easily identifiable. Staghorn Sumac is a deciduous shrub in the cashew family. It is a flowering North American plant that is primarily found in southeastern Canada, the northeastern and midwestern United States, and the Appalachian Mountains.

When do staghorn sumac trees bear fruit?

Staghorn sumac fruits mature from August to September. The fruiting head is a compact cluster of round, red, hairy fruits called drupes. Each drupe measures about 5mm (1/4”) in diameter and contains one seed. Each cluster of drupes can contain anywhere from 100 to 700 seeds. Only shrubs that are 3 to 4 years old can produce the fruit.

What does a sumac leaf look like?

Staghorn sumac has alternate, compound leaves, 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24″) long. Leaflets are narrowed or rounded at the base and sharply pointed at the tip with finely serrated edges.

How many species of sumac trees are there?

There about 150 species of sumac worldwide and 14 species native to the United States. This sumac is 1 to 10 meters (ca. 3 to 33 feet) tall, usually tree-like, but in thickets, and occasionally shrubby.