Wildflower Wednesday: Rhus aromatica

I'm showcasing this delightful native ground covering shrub for Wildflower Wednesday.

It's in full fall color. That's reason enough to make it a star, but, I think this fantastic native is under-appreciated and should be in more of our gardens.

Source: MOBOT

 It blooms in spring and the nectar and pollen attract small bees, flies and even some larger carpenter bees. 

Small clusters of hairy, red berries which may persist into winter replace the female flowers. The ripe fruits are a treat for birds and small mammals.

Fall brings gorgeous leaf color changes and inflorescence (male catkins) form in late summer and persist throughout the winter until eventually blooming in spring.

It's adaptability makes it attractive for difficult gardens

The species Fragrant sumac is a woody plant that can grow 6 to 12 feet. That's entirely too large for my garden (and most of yours), so I planted 'Gro-Low'. It was selected by growers for its dwarf habit making it very attractive for my garden. It will grow in poor, dry soil in full sun or deep shade. It requires only good drainage. At two to three feet tall and with a 4 foot spread it's a delightful groundcover under my Rusty Blackhaw. The spreading branches root where they touch the ground and that helps it form a dense weed suppressing mat.

Leaves and twigs are aromatic when bruised giving rise to its name~Fragrant sumac. The smaller leaves do have a slight resemblance to those of its relative poison ivy (Rhus radicans), however this fragrant sumac is a totally non-poisonous plant.

It has lovely orange-yellow fall color in October.

 Hamamelis, Hydrangea arborescens, Chasmanthium latifolium

In the drama of a wildflower garden there are no bit players. The canopy, the understory, the herbacious layer and the ground cover are all part of the diversity ensemble. Understory shrubs like Fragrant sumac provide food, nesting and shelter for mammals and birds, as well as being host plants to butterflies, moths and other insects. They are essential if you want to garden for wildlife and that's what my garden is all about. Rhus aromatica has been specifically chosen with birds, insects and other critters in mind and because it makes sense for this garden.

I love it and am here to tout its charms. 

Thank you for stopping by for Wildflower Wednesday!
gailxoxo

Rhus  aromatica~The particulars

Cultivar 'Gro-Low 
Common Name: fragrant sumac
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Anacardiaceae
Zones: 3 to 9
Native Range: native to Canada and the United States from southeast Ontario to Vermont down into central Florida to west Texas up through Nebraska over to southern Wisconsin back to Ontario.
Height: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 4  to 6 feet
Bloom: Yellowish flowers in April/May
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium with good drainage, not particular about soil ph.
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Fragrance: The leaves and stems have a citrus fragrance when crushed
Flower: Yellowish and significant
Leaves: Alternate and trifoliate with the middle leaflet being the largest of the three.
Attracts: Birds, Butterflies and many bees
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Rabbit, Drought, Erosion, Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky SoilComments: A low maintenance, easy to please plant for naturalizing and for erosion control. The species form is considerably taller at 6 to 12 feet, but shares all other characteristics, including its charm.

Welcome to Clay and Limestone and Wildflower Wednesday.  This day is about sharing wildflowers and other native plants no matter where one gardens~the UK, tropical Florida, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, India or the coldest reaches of Canada. It doesn't matter if we sometimes share the same plants. How they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most.


Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.