Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac (cuiltivar)
Low-growing cultivar of fragrant sumac reaching 2-3 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. Features aromatic trifoliate leaves with brilliant fall color. Produces small yellow-green flowers before leaf emergence, followed by red berries. Extremely drought and stress tolerant. Spreads aggressively through underground stems. Excellent for erosion control, slopes, and naturalized areas. Native to eastern North America.
Plant Details
Bloom Colour: Yellow-green
Bloom Time: Early Spring
Sun Requirements: Sun to Part-Shade
Moisture: Dry to Moist-Drained
Phenology: Catkin-like flowers appear March-April before leaves emerge. Leaves unfold May with distinctive aromatic scent. Small red fuzzy berries develop summer, persisting through fall and winter. Spectacular red-orange fall color develops October.
Wildlife Value: Berries provide critical winter food for robins, sparrows, goldfinches, chickadees, and small mammals; flowers attract butterflies and provide early nectar; dense cover for ground-nesting birds and small mammals
Habit Over Time: Develops into extensive low colonies through aggressive underground spread and branch layering. 'Gro-Low' cultivar maintains 2-3 foot height while spreading 6-8 feet or more. Forms dense mats that suppress weeds and provide excellent erosion control. Requires annual management to control spread. Creates permanent structural layer.
Height: Short (2-3 feet)