Sumac - Skunkbush

Skunkbush Sumac, rhus trilobata, is a native plant that has small yellow flowers in spring that produce small red fruits in late summer. The bright green foliage turns yellow, orange and scarlet in the fall. This xeriscape plant has an upright ascending form that grows 3-6 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. Skunkbush fruits, which persist through fall and winter, provide a food for birds and small mammals when other foods are scarce or unavailable. It may form dense thickets that provide good hiding and nesting cover for small birds and mammals. Skunkbush has been widely planted at recreation sites, rest areas, and roadsides. It is useful for windbreaks, shelterbelts, and because of the strong root development, for erosion control. It is generally drought tolerant.