Cutleaf Sumac

		*Cutleaf Sumac (Rhus typhina* 'Laciniata')** can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree with a height of 10 to 15 feet. It suckers easily and will form a dense multi-stemmed thicket. Hardy to zone 3, this shrub prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. It can be grown in a wide range of soils as long as it is well-drained, and is drought tolerant. No serious insect or disease problems have been reported.

		Foliage is bright green. Leaves are large (2 to 5 inches long), lanceolate, deeply dissected, and compoundly pinnate. There are 13-27 leaflets with serrated margins. They grow 1' to 2' long and have a feathery, fern-like appearance, turning attractive shades of orange, yellow and red in autumn.

		Flowers are dioecious. They are yellow-green in color and borne on 6 to 12 inch panicles.

		Fruit is a showy, pyramidal cluster up to 8" long. The clusters are made up of hairy red berry-like drupes. These gradually fade to a brownish-maroon and persist into winter. They provide both winter interest in the garden and a source of food for wildlife.

		Bark on older stems is gray with shallow fissures and plates.

Cutleaf Sumac (Rhus typhina 'Laciniata')