Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra)
Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra) is a shrub that can grow 1.5m – 3m tall and 1.5m – 3m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra).
This plant has several common names including: smooth sumach, scarlet sumach or vinegar tree.
This is a deciduous plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.
In this article
Plant profile
Common name: smooth sumach, scarlet sumach, vinegar tree
Scientific name: Rhus glabra
Plant type: Shrubs
Habit: Bushy
Height: 1.5m – 3m
Spread: 1.5m – 3m
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained
Garden type: Coastal, Informal Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding
Seasonal colors
| Season | Stem | Foliage | Flower | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
How to plant Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra) – Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Shrubs are fundamental elements in any garden.
They add color and interest throughout the seasons with their wide variety of flowers, foliage, fruits, trunks and stems.
Whatever the size or style of your garden, the permanent woody structure or the foliage of evergreen shrubs will give the space shape and dimension.
Other types of Rhus to consider:
See all Rhus
How to plant
In this section we will learn how to plant Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.
Soil
Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.
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The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.
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Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).
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The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.
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Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.
It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.
Regarding drainage, Rhus glabra likes to grow in moist but well drained soil.
Sunlight
Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra) should be grown in full sun places.
Cultivation profiles – Growing Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra) – Joshua Mayer from Madison, WI, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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