Taxon

Rhus trilobata

 
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Rhus trilobata - threeleaf sumac, squawbush, skunk bush, lemonade berry
Image: Janice Tucker
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Common name: threeleaf sumac, squawbush, skunk bush, lemonade berry
Family: Anacardiaceae (Sumac)
Synonym: Rhus aromatica var. trilobata
Distribution: Central and Western United States, Western Canada, Mexico
Habitat: Plains, slopes, scrublands, canyons, pinyon-juniper woodlands
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3 (-40 to -30 °F)
Life form: Deciduous shrub/sub-shrub
Occurrence in New Mexico: New Mexico native plant
Growing Conditions: Threeleaf sumac is native to most of North America, from Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, south through the midwestern states and Intermountain West to to southern Mexico. This adaptable plant grows in many different habitats, including deserts, grasslands, chaparral, woodlands, and riparian zones. In the Southwest, it is often seen on rocky ledges and outcrops, slopes, canyons and mesas, at elevations from 2,500-7,500 feet. It grows well in somewhat alkaline soils, but has a low tolerance for calcareous soils. It also grows in neutral to slightly acidic soils. It grows in sandy, gravelly or other well-drained, dry to mesic soils, and is very drought tolerant when established. It does not tolerate flooding and does not grow where ground water is near the surface. Autumn foliage color is usually better in full sun, but it thrives in partial shade as well as full sun. Reproduction is by seeds or by suckering from an extensive system of woody rhizomes. Flowers are dioecious and male and female plants are necessary to produce viable seeds. However, colonies from a single, suckering parent (either male or female) often form dense thickets. This suckering habit, along with a taproot and large mass of more shallow fibrous roots make it an ideal plant for holding soil on steep slopes, banks, and terraces, and for erosion control in dry, difficult sites. Plants can be pruned to control height and improve appearance as needed. Hardiness of individual plants may vary depending on seed provenance; some are hardy to -20 to -30°F.
Description: Threeleaf sumac grows 2-8 feet tall and up to 8 feet wide. This thicket-forming shrub tends to be taller and more upright in the North and shorter, more branched and compact in the Southwest. The compound leaves have 3 lobes and are waxy and soft-textured. They are green above and pale below, and turn bright red or orange in autumn. The leaves and stems are fragrant (some people find the aroma unpleasant) when bruised. In spring, clustered spikes of yellowish flowers emerge before the leaves. In summer, tart, red and slightly hairy berries are produced at the tips of the branches and persist throughout winter.
Links: SFBG Plant of the Month • Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy) • SEINet • Wildflower Center - Native Plant Database

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