When does Rhus glabra bloom?

Smooth sumac produces its greenish-white flower clusters from June through August, with fuzzy red fruit clusters following in late summer and persisting into fall.

What pollinators visit smooth sumac flowers?

Bees, butterflies, and beetles regularly visit the small clustered flowers of smooth sumac for nectar and pollen during its summer bloom period.

How much water does smooth sumac need?

Smooth sumac tolerates low water conditions well once established and also handles medium moisture, making it adaptable to dry slopes, roadsides, and disturbed ground.

What light conditions suit smooth sumac best?

This shrub grows in full sun to part shade, though it tends to flower and fruit most heavily with more direct sun exposure.

What does smooth sumac look like in fall?

Smooth sumac is known for brilliant red to orange fall foliage along with clusters of dense red fruit that stand out against bare branches into winter.

Is Smooth Sumac toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Smooth Sumac as toxic to livestock.

Is Smooth Sumac HOA-friendly?

Smooth Sumac takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Smooth Sumac

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Rhus glabra

Last reviewed: September 2026

Smooth sumac is a deciduous shrub that blooms from June through August and tolerates low water once established. It grows well in full sun to part shade across prairies, woodland edges, and roadsides in a wide range of climates.

Toxicity unknown

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Smooth Sumac as toxic to livestock.

Light

part shade

Water

low

Size

72"–240" H × 72"–240" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug

Native to

AL, AR, AZ, CO and 43 more states

Pollinators

bees, butterflies, beetles

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

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Smooth sumac is a native shrub that forms colonies through underground runners, creating naturalistic groves over time. It produces clusters of small greenish flowers in summer followed by red berry clusters, with foliage turning brilliant orange-red in fall.

Growing Smooth Sumac

Grow Smooth Sumac in part shade and low water. Mature plants reach 72 to 240 inches tall and spread 72 to 240 inches wide. Expect high maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Smooth Sumac takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Spreads aggressively by suckers
Can appear uncontrolled and weedy
Large mature size may overwhelm typical landscapes

Wildlife value

Host plant for Spring Azure, Io Moth, Luna Moth.

The summer blooms attract bees, butterflies, and beetles, while the persistent red berries provide food for birds through winter.

Common questions

When does Rhus glabra bloom?: Smooth sumac produces its greenish-white flower clusters from June through August, with fuzzy red fruit clusters following in late summer and persisting into fall.
What pollinators visit smooth sumac flowers?: Bees, butterflies, and beetles regularly visit the small clustered flowers of smooth sumac for nectar and pollen during its summer bloom period.
How much water does smooth sumac need?: Smooth sumac tolerates low water conditions well once established and also handles medium moisture, making it adaptable to dry slopes, roadsides, and disturbed ground.
What light conditions suit smooth sumac best?: This shrub grows in full sun to part shade, though it tends to flower and fruit most heavily with more direct sun exposure.
What does smooth sumac look like in fall?: Smooth sumac is known for brilliant red to orange fall foliage along with clusters of dense red fruit that stand out against bare branches into winter.
Is Smooth Sumac toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Smooth Sumac as toxic to livestock.
Is Smooth Sumac HOA-friendly?: Smooth Sumac takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

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