Sumac (skunkbrush)
Rhus trilobata
Wildlife Value
Important fall and winter food for songbirds, woodpeckers, and deer, and emergency winter food for game birds. Fruit and buds are staple food fro sharp-tailed grouse. A good source of vitamin A. Bark and twigs eaten by rabbits, rodents, and deer. provides high quality roosting and loafing cover for many bird species and is a preferred nest site for many thicket-nesting birds. Native to western North America.
| Growth form | irregular |
| Crown density | dense |
| Size | to 4' high to 8' spread |
| Drought resistance |
excellent; prefers moist, sunny, open areas, but will grow in dry locations. |
| Cold hardiness | excellent |
| Growth rate | rapid to moderate |
| Life span | moderate |
| Elevation range |
to 8,000 feet |
| Soil conditions |
good alkaline tolerance; grows well on most soils |
| Possible insect problems |
fairly resistant |
| Possible disease problems |
Fusarium wilt |
| Wildlife value | excellent: many birds; good wildlife species |
| Seasonal color | red-orange fall foliage |
| Miscellany | native; berries have slight lemon taste when rolled under tongue; good in fence row, along roads, and canal or stream edges. |