Rhus glabra ‘Laciniata’ – Cut-leaf Smooth Sumac – 5-Gallon

An elegant form of this tough small tree. A cutleaf form is not that unusual in sumacs – there is also a cutleaf form of Staghorn Sumac. Smooth Sumac is a smaller tree though, making it easier to incorporate into more limited garden spaces. One challenge in doing so however is the tendency for the tree to send up root suckers. Some gardeners though take advantage of suckering by cutting stems to the ground in the fall – the tree then rarely grows more than a few feet tall and performs like a large perennial! Leaf petioles are are an attractive red in summer and fall foliage is a spectacular reddish orange to bright scarlet. ‘Laciniata’ is a female plant and will produce fruit clusters if a male plant is nearby.