Rhus typhina

Staghorn sumac is native to the U.S. and is in the Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family).
Photo Credit: © Abraham Miller-Rushing
Rhus typhina
Common Name: staghorn sumac
Other Scientific Names: Rhus hirta
Plant Functional Group: Deciduous broadleaf
Class > Order > Family: Magnoliopsida > Sapindales > Anacardiaceae
What does the species look like? Rhus typhina is a deciduous, perennial shrub, commonly forming thickets, or tree that can grow to be 40 feet in height. It can grow aggressively by spreading rhizomes and by seed dispersal. The bark of staghorn sumac is thin and smooth and sometimes peels off in layers. The stems of staghorn sumac are covered in rust-colored hairs. The large, pinnately compound leaves turn a colorful red in the fall. Staghorn sumac is dioecious with male and female plants separate. The flowers on female plants are yellow-green. The fruits are cone-shaped clusters of small, red, hairy drupes that appear at the end of branches.  Rhus typhina grows on dry, rocky or gravelly soils on the edges of hardwood forests, old fields, roadsides, open woods, and disturbed sites. In some sites it is considered weedy. The seeds and fruits of Rhus typhina are a food source for many species of birds and mammals. Deer and moose eat the leaves and twigs, and rabbits eat the bark and twigs. In addition, honeybees are attracted to its flowers. It is also used as an ornamental in low water use plantings.
Where is the species found?
States & Provinces
AL, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NB, NC, NH, NJ, NS, NY, OH, ON, PA, PE, QC, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV
Special Considerations for Observing
If drought seems to be the cause of leaf color or fall for a plant, please make a comment about it for that observation.

This species has separate male and female plants. If you know whether the plant(s) you are observing are male or female (or both), please make a comment about it for that observation

Note that individuals of this species with only male flowers will not produce fruit.
Which phenophases should I observe?
Do you see...?
Leaves Breaking leaf buds
One or more breaking leaf buds are visible on the plant. A leaf bud is considered "breaking" once a green leaf tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first leaf from the bud has unfolded to expose the leaf base at its point of attachment to the leaf stalk (petiole) or stem. For Rhus typhina, leaf tips may appear reddish.
More...

How many buds are breaking?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Leaves
One or more live, unfolded leaves are visible on the plant. A leaf is considered "unfolded" once its entire length has emerged from a breaking bud, stem node or growing stem tip, so that the leaf base is visible at its point of attachment to the leaf stalk (petiole) or stem. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves.
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What percentage of the potential canopy space is full with leaves? Ignore dead branches in your estimate of potential canopy space.

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Increasing leaf size
A majority of leaves on the plant have not yet reached their full size and are still growing larger. Do not include new leaves that continue to emerge at the ends of elongating stems throughout the growing season.
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What percentage of full size are most leaves?

  • Less than 25%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Colored leaves
One or more leaves show some of their typical late-season color, or yellow or brown due to drought or other stresses. Do not include small spots of color due to minor leaf damage, or dieback on branches that have broken. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant.
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What percentage of the potential canopy space is full with non-green leaf color? Ignore dead branches in your estimate of potential canopy space.

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Falling leaves
One or more leaves with typical late-season color, or yellow or brown due to other stresses, are falling or have recently fallen from the plant. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant for many days before falling.
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Flowers Flowers or flower buds
One or more fresh open or unopened flowers or flower buds are visible on the plant. Include flower buds or inflorescences that are swelling or expanding, but do not include those that are tightly closed and not actively growing (dormant). Also do not include wilted or dried flowers.
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How many flowers and flower buds are present? For species in which individual flowers are clustered in flower heads, spikes or catkins (inflorescences), simply estimate the number of flower heads, spikes or catkins and not the number of individual flowers.

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Open flowers
One or more open, fresh flowers are visible on the plant. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts (male stamens or female pistils) are visible between or within unfolded or open flower parts (petals, floral tubes or sepals). Do not include wilted or dried flowers.
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What percentage of all fresh flowers (buds plus unopened plus open) on the plant are open? For species in which individual flowers are clustered in flower heads, spikes or catkins (inflorescences), estimate the percentage of all individual flowers that are open.

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Fruits Fruits
One or more fruits are visible on the plant. For Rhus typhina, the fruit is fuzzy and berry-like and changes from green to red or reddish-brown.
More...

How many fruits are present?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Ripe fruits
One or more ripe fruits are visible on the plant. For Rhus typhina, a fruit is considered ripe when it has turned red or reddish-brown.
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What percentage of all fruits (unripe plus ripe) on the plant are ripe?

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Recent fruit or seed drop
One or more mature fruits or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include obviously immature fruits that have dropped before ripening, such as in a heavy rain or wind, or empty fruits that had long ago dropped all of their seeds but remained on the plant.
More...

How many mature fruits have dropped seeds or have completely dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
What do these phenophases look like?

There is currently no photoguide available for this species. If you'd like help us create one, use the guidance document and species template provided here. Then send it via email to education@usanpn.org when it is complete.

USDA PLANTS profile for staghorn sumac (USDA Symbol: RHTY )