Quick Facts
Exposure: Full Sun
Height at Maturity: 15-25 Feet
Usage: Wildlife Plantings, Naturalized Landscapes, Property Borders, Erosion Control
Shipped As: Bare-root
Planting Zones: 3-8
Product Details
Staghorn sumac seedlings (Rhus typhina, also listed as Rhus hirta) are a native, colony-forming shrub to small tree for slopes, roadsides, field edges and wildlife habitat. We sell them bare root in 6-12 inch, 12-18 inch and row run 6-24 inch grades, in bundles of 100, 500 and 1,000, for erosion control contractors, DOT and reclamation crews, wildlife land managers and landscapers who want bold texture and fiery fall color.
Staghorn Sumac Profile
- Botanical name: Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac, velvet sumac)
- Family: Anacardiaceae (cashew family)
- Native range: Eastern and northeastern North America
- Zones: USDA 3 to 8
- Size: 15 to 25 feet tall, spreading into colonies
- Light: Full sun, where fall color is most brilliant
- Soil: Dry to moist; thrives in sandy, gravelly, rocky and clay soils
- Fall color: Brilliant scarlet, orange and gold
- Fruit: Upright cones of fuzzy crimson berries on female plants, persisting through winter
Why It Excels on Slopes and Disturbed Ground
Staghorn sumac spreads by shallow, wide-reaching roots that send up new stems, forming dense colonies that knit soil together on cut banks, road shoulders, rocky hillsides and reclaimed land. It establishes readily in lean, dry and gravelly soils, making it a dependable choice for highway embankments, mine reclamation, pipeline corridors and anywhere fast, self-sustaining cover is the goal. See more options in our erosion control plants.
The Name and the Look
Staghorn sumac takes its name from its branches, which are covered in soft, velvety hairs like a deer's antlers in velvet. The long, pinnately compound leaves give a tropical, fern-like texture in summer, then turn some of the brightest reds and oranges of any native plant in fall. The deep-red fruit clusters stand above the bare branches all winter, so colonies stay showy in every season.
Food and Cover for Wildlife
The fruit clusters persist into late winter, when they become a reliable late-season food for eastern bluebirds, American robins, northern cardinals, wild turkey and ruffed grouse. White-tailed deer and rabbits browse the stems, and summer flowers draw native bees. Dense sumac thickets also provide nesting and escape cover, which is why wildlife managers plant it along field borders and woodland edges alongside persimmon and Chickasaw plum. The fuzzy red berries are also gathered to make a tart, lemony drink known as sumac-ade.
Spacing for Common Projects
| Project | Spacing | Plants needed |
|---|---|---|
| Slope and erosion control | 5 by 5 feet | About 1,740 per acre |
| Hedgerow or field border | 4 to 6 feet in the row | About 880 to 1,320 per mile of row |
| Wildlife thicket or naturalized planting | 8 by 8 feet | About 680 per acre |
Staghorn or Fragrant Sumac?
Staghorn sumac is the tall, tree-like species with velvety branches and large berry cones. Fragrant sumac seedlings (Rhus aromatica) stay low, around 2 to 6 feet, and suit groundcover and low bank plantings. Many slope projects use both: fragrant sumac at the toe of the bank and staghorn sumac higher up.
Common Questions
How fast does staghorn sumac grow?
Staghorn sumac is fast-growing and spreads into colonies within a few seasons, which is why it is prized for quick erosion cover.
Will staghorn sumac grow in poor, rocky soil?
Yes. It thrives in sandy, gravelly and rocky soils and is widely used on roadsides and reclaimed land.
Do all staghorn sumac plants produce berries?
Staghorn sumac has separate male and female plants. Female plants bear the red fruit clusters, and seedlings grow into a natural mix of both.
What zones is staghorn sumac hardy in?
USDA zones 3 through 8. Confirm your zone with our zone finder.
When will my staghorn sumac seedlings ship?
Staghorn sumac ships in November as dormant, bare root seedlings.
Our Nursery
Since Roscoe Tate planted the first rows in 1959, our family has grown nursery stock in Altamont, Tennessee, and Tennessee Wholesale Nursery now serves trade buyers as the wholesale division of TN Nursery. We have produced plants for Arlington National Cemetery and grown more than 200,000 redbuds on our farm. Staghorn sumac seedlings leave the farm dormant in sealed, moisture-holding bundles and are guaranteed to arrive alive under our Arrive Alive guarantee. Learn how they travel on our packaging page.