Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac)
Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac)
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Pickup in Union, IL
Tuesdays, 7 a.m.–3 p.m., by confirmed arrangement.
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Gallon sizes describe the container, not the plant’s height. Mature heights describe future growth.
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Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) expresses the viable seed content of a seed lot using its purity and germination or viability test results. It helps you compare seed lots and calculate how much bulk seed is needed to meet a specified PLS planting rate.
PLS weight and bag weight
PLS weight is not the same as the total weight of seed in a bag. For example, a lot with 80% purity and 75% viability contains 60% PLS: 80 × 75 ÷ 100 = 60. Supplying 10 lb PLS from that lot requires about 16.67 lb of bulk seed.
Use the current seed test and the stated basis of the mix specification. Germination calculations may include applicable hard or dormant seed. Seed-count estimates also require the number of seeds per pound; PLS alone does not provide a seed count.
What to check when buying a mix
Check whether each rate is stated in PLS pounds, bulk pounds, or a combination. A mix with both bases should not be described as having an all-PLS total.
PLS does not remove weed seeds or guarantee establishment. Review the seed label and analysis for weed content, and match site preparation, planting conditions and follow-up management to your project.
Sources: USDA NRCS, Understanding Pure Live Seed and The Importance of Seed Quality for Natural Resource Conservation.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
Smooth sumac develops quickly in sunny ground across a broad moisture range. Its tolerance of relatively alkaline soil can help distinguish its site needs from other sumacs.
For Rhus glabra, choose full to partial sun and moist to dry soil. Recorded habitats include prairies and their edges; Hill-prairie edges; Open disturbed woods; Savannas; Thickets and woodland borders; Limestone glades. Reported height: usually 3-10 ft.
Growth habit: rhizomatous shrub that often forms clonal colonies and can spread aggressively. Allow room for this spreading habit beside smaller plants and narrow borders. Keep the planting edge accessible so you can manage growth beyond the intended area.
Plant specifications & ecological relationships
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full to partial sun |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Moist to dry |
| Height | Usually 3-10 ft |
| Bloom season | Late spring to mid-summer |
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Rhizomatous shrub that often forms clonal colonies and can spread aggressively |
|---|---|
| Root form | Rhizomes |
| Soil pH | Tolerates higher soil pH than most other local sumacs; numerical limits are not established |
| Cultivation hardiness zones | Zones 3a–9b (general cultivation guidance) |
| Drought tolerance | Drought tolerance reported in cultivation guidance; establishment needs and duration are not specified. |
| Salt tolerance | Medium |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Rhus glabra |
|---|---|
| Other common names | smooth sumac; Smooth Sumac |
| Plant family | Anacardiaceae |
| Seeds per pound — reference estimate | No verified seed-count reference is supplied. Use documented seed-lot data. |
Plant characteristics
An excellent shrub for colonies, but is aggressive particularity on small landscapes. It can give a tropical feel with its palm-like foliage, but with a native plant in the Midwest. Yellow to orange-red-purple fall foliage and scarlet fruit provide fall and winter interest and food source for overwintering birds.
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates
Documented Illinois communities
Mature dry sand prairie
Big River Natural Area — Henderson County, Illinois; 2005 survey.
Other native plants recorded in this survey area: Bouteloua hirsuta, Eragrostis spectabilis, Euphorbia corollata, Koeleria macrantha, Lespedeza capitata, Monarda punctata, Quercus velutina, Rhus aromatica, Schizachyrium scoparium, Solidago nemoralis, Solidago speciosa, Ambrosia psilostachya.
Selected species from the ground layer. The survey includes disturbance and succession; these records do not specify immediate neighbors or planting proportions.
Degraded dry sand savanna remnant — woody layer
Big River Natural Area — Henderson County, Illinois; 2005 survey.
Other native plants recorded in this survey area: Celtis occidentalis, Juniperus virginiana, Prunus serotina, Quercus velutina, Rhus aromatica, Ribes missouriense, Cornus drummondii, Gleditsia triacanthos, Quercus marilandica, Rubus allegheniensis, Rubus occidentalis.
Selected species from the woody layer. The survey includes disturbance and succession; these records do not specify immediate neighbors or planting proportions.
Illinois woodland and stream communities
Middle Fork Woods, Vermilion County (1999–2002 survey). Recorded in: perennial stream corridor.
Perennial stream corridor — selected native associates: Phlox divaricata, Sorghastrum nutans, Acer saccharinum.
These plants share a recorded habitat; they were not necessarily found in the same small plot.
Other regional plant communities
These plants are named with this species in published vegetation accounts. Each list keeps its community and region; some records describe a shared vegetation type rather than neighboring plants in a measured plot. They are ecological records, not a planting recipe, and may include plants unsuitable for a particular garden.
- Oak savanna (Minnesota): Prunus virginiana.
- Black-oak savanna (Indiana): Quercus velutina, Quercus alba, Prunus serotina, Sassafras albidum, Rhus copallina, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans.
- Grassland–woodland transitions (Northern and eastern prairie range): Dalea purpurea.
- Grassland and shrub associates (Prairie region; account synthesis): Juniperus virginiana.
- Woodland and wooded draws (Missouri River corridor and eastern Nebraska): Prunus americana.
- Bluestem prairie (Kansas): Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Buchloe dactyloides, Poa pratensis, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, Ulmus americana, Juniperus virginiana, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus muehlenbergii, Cornus drummondii.
Spring Bay Fen Nature Preserve — tall shrub fen
Surveyed in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Tall shrub fen on Lena muck, recorded separately from the adjoining forest and filled upland. These dated records do not establish presence today.
Other native plants recorded in this surveyed community: Acer saccharinum, Amorpha fruticosa, Asclepias incarnata, Blephilia hirsuta, Bolboschoenus fluviatilis, Caltha palustris, Carex hystericina, Carex stipata, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Chelone glabra.
Murphy, Phillippe & Ebinger 2021, Appendix 1. Selected associates from the same community; records do not show immediate neighbors or prescribe planting ratios.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.
| Wetland indicator — Corps Chicago 2017 table | UPL |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 1 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Alabama; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife
Caterpillars & other plant-feeding insects
This plant has published caterpillar host records for the butterflies and moths listed below. These are larval feeding relationships, separate from adult nectar visits. The records span a North American literature compilation and do not establish that every insect occurs locally or uses only this plant.
Butterflies & skippers
- Celastrina neglecta — Summer Azure
Moths
- Datana perspicua — Spotted Dantana
- Eacles imperialis — Imperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
- Olethreutes appendiceum — Serviceberry Leafroller
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Smooth Sumac?
Light: Full to partial sun. Soil moisture: Moist to dry.
Is Smooth Sumac deer and herbivore resistant?
Species-specific deer resistance has not been verified here. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.
When should I expect Smooth Sumac to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Late spring to mid-summer. Timing varies with location and weather.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Illinois woodland records: Larimore, Phillippe & Ebinger (2008), Middle Fork Woods flora, Appendix I. © 2008 University of Illinois Board of Trustees, CC BY 4.0. Habitat records transcribed, selected and linked to catalog names by Natural Communities. Survey: 1999–2002.
Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.
Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; USDA Forest Service: Dalea purpurea; USDA Forest Service: Juniperus virginiana; USDA Forest Service: Prunus americana; USDA Forest Service: Prunus virginiana; USDA Forest Service: Rhus glabra; USDA NRCS PLANTS; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.
Wildlife records: Shropshire & Tallamy: caterpillar hosts (2025).
Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.
Research notes & credits
USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication.
Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.
Caterpillar host records: Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, Supplement 1. Contains information from this database made available under the Open Database License (ODbL 1.0). Natural Communities selected species-level records and screened source qualifications. The complete selection and transformation instructions for this page are available below under the same license.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
Caterpillar research records
Plant: Rhus glabra
Record scope: Host literature synthesis; no county nativity or local insect occurrence inferred.
Shropshire & Tallamy (2025) · Original research dataset · Reuse license: ODbL-1.0
| Plant names in the source | Source insect record IDs |
|---|---|
| Rhus glabra | 202558, 203836, 204360, 208957 |
How these records were selected
To reproduce this selection, use the “UDELep May 2025” worksheet in the original research dataset.
- Match the insect record IDs above to column A (UDLepID). Within each table row, pair every listed insect ID with every listed source plant name.
- Use the first two words in column H for the insect’s scientific name, column E for its common name, and column AB for its source category.
- Treat the selected pairs as reported caterpillar host records. Keep all other source fields unchanged and outside this selected table. Include no other rows or host pairs.
- Group butterflies and skippers together, and the other categories as moths. Retain the source’s exotic-category labels and sort display names by scientific insect name.
Survey communities: Ebinger et al. (2006), Tables 1–12, Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin. CC BY 4.0; adapted as dated presence lists, with the source’s non-native records excluded from the displayed native lists.
Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.
Additional community records: Murphy, Phillippe & Ebinger (2021), Spring Bay Fen flora and vegetation. Selected facts and taxonomic links; source spellings and historical survey dates retained.
Planting references and review
Reviewed: 2026-09-26
Plant spacing:Species-specific spacing needs review. Select a spacing suited to your site and planting design.
Seeding rate: Use a site- and method-specific specification. No verified automatic species rate is supplied.
Seed preparation: A species-specific preparation method and named code system need confirmation for the supplied seed lot.
Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories
- Retail online orders: Plant and seed orders ship only, except eligible trees and shrubs offered for pickup. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
- Retail pickup — trees and shrubs only: Pickup is available by prior arrangement for eligible woody plants. Some container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders.
- Wholesale orders: Plants, trees and shrubs are available for pickup by arrangement. Delivery can also be arranged for your order. Wholesale pickup is free. All seed orders ship, including wholesale seed.
- Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.
Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Plant pickup and delivery are arranged for your order. Seed ships only.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
- Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability. We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish. If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date. If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
- Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
- Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.
Where We Ship
Natural Communities ships native plants and seed from multiple supplier locations across the Midwest. Shipping coverage extends beyond our local consultation area; see the shipping map below. Availability and delivery options depend on the product and destination. Check the product details and shipping options at checkout, or contact us before ordering if you need help confirming coverage.
Our on-site ecological consulting serves the greater Chicago region and southeastern Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee area. Consultations take place at your property by appointment. Our offices are not walk-in retail stores or plant pickup sites.
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
- Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
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