Planting Staghorn Sumac in North Carolina

Reasons

• Stahghorn sumac's striking ornamental qualities and value to wildlife make it a wise choice for North Carolina gardeners. Plus, its adaptability to tough conditions makes it an easy, low-maintenance option for situations where many other landscape plants would fail. Staghorn sumac is especially beautiful from late summer through early spring when its stunning red, yellow and orange fall foliage and ornamental berries are present. It grows quickly, even in drought and poor, rocky soils to form dense thickets that are ideal habitat for wildlife. The berries that ripen in fall are an important food source for many bird species.

Planting

• It's hard to go wrong planting staghorn sumac in North Carolina, but it's best to avoid planting in the heat of summer to prevent undue stress after transplanting. Instead, plant in fall or early spring and the plants will have plenty of time to establish a healthy root system while temperatures are cool. It is not necessary to dig a massive hole or use expensive fertilizers and soil amendments with staghorn sumac. Simply dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball, gently loosen the outer roots and plant so the top of the roots are even with the surrounding soil level. Provide water on a weekly basis during the first year of establishment; afterwards, the typical rainfall patterns in North Carolina are ample for staghorn sumac.

Adaptability

• Staghorn sumac often grows on dry, rocky hillsides in the wild, but is adaptable to almost any environment in North Carolina, other than areas with constantly wet soil. It grows well in full sun or partial shade, but is not adapted for planting under large existing trees. It's important to plant staghorn sumac where it will have lots of room to grow and spread -- it can grow to a tree up to 30 feet tall, but most often develops into a sprawling shrubby thicket about 15 feet tall with an equal spread.

Landscape Uses

• Because it spreads via its creeping root system, plant it in naturalized areas where it will not invade garden beds or lawns. Plant other low-growing shrubs in the foreground to conceal the lanky trucks and accentuate the attractive foliage concentrated at the top of the forked branches. Several ornamental cultivars have been developed, including "Dissecta" (Rhus typhina "Dissecta") and "Lacinata" (Rhus typhina "Lacinata"), which have finely cut, fer-like foliage and are the best choices for planting staghorn sumac in ornamental landscapes.